Chronicles of the Past
by moonbunny83
Summary: The
1. The Forgotten Past

There are some things you should know before reading my story. This   
is the first fanfic I've ever written in my entire life so please be   
nice. Another thing, my story takes place sometime during the Supers   
series. However, Serena and Darien are still not together. Darien is   
still having nightmares about Serena dying. Don't get mad at me. I   
don't like it either, but that works best for my story. Last thing is   
that this is a first of many books that I am writing. Book 1: The   
Forgotten Past is one story all on its own. This is not part 1 of   
whatever. Please understand that. I have already started Book 2:   
Memories of the Past. It's a sequel, but a story all on its own as   
well. Thank you for your patience in reading my little note. Hope   
you like my story. Oh! One more thing! The ending is pretty sad.   
Thought I should warn you. The rating is PG for drama.   
  
  
THE FORGOTTEN PAST   
By: Moonbunny83  
6/19/01  
E-mail: moonbunny83@hotmail.com  
Sailor Moon created by:   
Naoko Takeuchi  
New characters belong to me.  
  
  
BOOK 1  
  
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT  
  
"Darien . . . mmm . . .," Serena Tsukino mumbled in her sleep.   
"I'd be happy to marry you . . . please come back to me . . ."   
She stretched in her bed and fell on the floor. And yet, she kept   
on sleeping.  
  
"Serena!" Reenie yelled in Serena's ear. "Wake up. The   
other scouts need Sailor Moon." Reenie placed both hands on the   
slumbering blonde and started shaking her, frustration clearly   
etched in her expression.  
  
"Unh . . . mmm . . . leave me alone, Moonbrat. Even in my   
sleep, you steal my love away from me . . .," Serena whined. She   
raised a hand a struck Reenie on the head. Reenie stumbled on   
the floor, shocked and slightly out of focused. Her pixie face   
turned bright red and she stood back up, ready to retaliate. But   
before she could reach the dozing Serena, she felt a resistance   
against her feet. She looked down and saw Luna, her sharp teeth   
pulling on Reenie's bunny-printed pajamas. Once she saw that she   
got the little girl's attention, Luna started talking.  
  
"Reenie, wake her up. We don't have much time. The other   
scouts are losing quickly."  
  
"What do you think I've been doing for the last thirty   
minutes? And all I get for my efforts is a smack on the head!"   
Reenie shouted angrily. She took deep breaths and started counting   
to ten inside her head in an attempt to calm herself down. Once   
she got her composure back, she turned her attention to Serena   
and tried yet again to wake her up. "Come on Meatball Head! Wake   
up! Sheesh. You can sleep through World War III." Desperate times   
call for desperate measures, as they say. So, after deciding that   
it was for her Moon Mama's own good, Reenie snatched a half-filled   
glass of water from the bed stand and dumped its contents on the   
unsuspecting Serena.  
  
Luna sighed, quietly watching the mother-daughter antics.   
"And to think they still act this way in the 30th Century Crystal   
Tokyo. A cat can only take so much."   
  
"Huh? What?" Serena gasped. Her long pigtails now clumped   
limply on her face.  
  
"About time, Ditzoid! Let's go! The others need our help."   
Reenie grasped a pink heart-shaped compact and threw it into the   
air. "Moon Prism Power!"  
  
Serena, still sitting on the floor, cried out angrily. "Did   
you just call me Ditzoid? Like Meatball Head wasn't bad enough?   
Who's been teaching you? I bet all my candy stash that it's a   
certain Fire Princess!" Serena stopped and muttered, "Just wait   
till I have a one on one chat with Raye." She slowly stood up,   
her face dripping wet. One drop fell on her eye and she remembered   
what woke her up. She faced Reenie and asked incredulously,   
"You dumped water on me?"  
  
Reenie finished her transformation and retorted back.   
"So what if I did? It worked, didn't it?"  
  
"You'll pay for that, Moonbrat!" Serena growled. Reenie   
stuck her tongue out and as usual, this resulted in a tongue war.  
  
Luna, the mediator, cuts in. "That is enough! While the   
two of you are standing here bickering, the others are holding   
onto their lives!"  
  
Both Serena and Reenie immediately ceased and stared at Luna   
sheepishly. "Sorry!" They apologized.  
  
"Luna, it is the middle of the night so could you, maybe   
lower your voice just a bit?" Serena whispered. "I don't want   
my family to wake up from all the racket you're causing."   
Reenie nodded in agreement.  
  
Luna's tiny shoulders fell in defeat. 'They really are   
of the same blood,' she thought to herself. Luna sighed and   
addressed Serena. "Transform now."  
  
Serena nodded and yelled, "Moon Cosmic Power!" She   
transformed in record time amidst a swirl of pink ribbons.   
"Sailor Mini Moon, time to join the scouts." And with that   
said, Serena jumped out of her window with a smaller replica of   
herself close at her heels.  
  
"Finally," Sailor Mini Moon muttered.  
  
Luna stayed behind, watching the two disappear into the   
night with a worried frown carved on her whiskered face. "Good   
luck you two. I have a terrible feeling about this. Something   
is going to happen. I just know it and I'm afraid you may not be   
strong enough to overcome it, Serena," the black feline whispered   
to herself. "If anything happened . . . oh! This is all my fault.   
I should have told her everything about her past. When I restored   
her memories, I held back something important. Something that can   
make a difference between life and death," Luna sobbed. She stared   
at the moon against the dark backdrop that was the sky and cried in   
anguish, "Why, Queen Serenity? Why did you make me keep something   
like this from your own daughter? Why did you order my silence about   
Hunter? About her own husband?!!!" Luna stopped yelling and turned   
eerily quiet. She sniffed and continued, "I cannot keep this to   
myself any longer. Please forgive me, my Queen. I must tell Darien.   
I must. He may be the only hope we have." And with that, she   
jumped out the window and ran towards Darien's apartment. Ran   
like the very devil was hot at her paws.  
  
ELSEWHERE . . .  
  
"Mars . . . flame . . . sniper!"  
  
"Jupiter . . . oak . . . evolution!"  
  
"Mercury . . . aqua . . . rhapsody!"  
  
"Venus . . . love and beauty . . . shock!"  
  
Fire, lightning, water, and love all combined to create a   
sphere of energy. The sphere grew and grew, superb power emanating   
around and through it. Then it was suddenly hurled across the field,   
flying with rapid speed to its target, a smirking man with long,   
silver hair that goes down a bit past his muscular shoulders. He   
wore a full body armor, complete with a sword in its sheath. His   
eyes are quite piercing with their green orbs sparkling with menace.   
He was of medium height with the looks of someone around his twenties.   
He is a good-looking man and the scouts would have swooned if not for   
the circumstances at hand. The energy orb continued on and without   
the slightest movement visible to the naked eye, he avoided it,   
causing the surge of energy to crash into a nearby tree. The tree   
was lifted away from its roots and was sent flying - - a tree no   
more, but splinters of wood. Then into dust. Then into nothing.   
  
The scouts stood speechless, now fear creeping into them   
with a vengeance. Their mouths agape, shocked is an   
understatement to what they are feeling now. That was their   
last chance of survival and it was all for naught. They have   
given it their all and nothing was left within them any longer.   
The foul taste of defeat was sneaking itself slowly, so very   
slowly. Everything now rests on Sailor Moon's shoulders as Mars,   
Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus fell onto the ground, their life   
energy sucked out, one by one. In the silence of darkness,   
only a menacing laugh could be heard as Venus tried to pick   
herself up, but to no avail.  
  
"Sailor Moon . . . where are you? Serena . . .," Raye   
whispered as she drew her final breath.  
  
"I'm so sorry . . . Serena . . .," Amy gasped as she   
finally fell into oblivion.  
  
"Princess . . . we failed you . . . please, forgive   
us . . .," Lita cried out softly, finally deciding to give up.  
  
Mina heard their final words as she saw her fellow scouts   
surrender their precious lives. "Mars, Mercury, Jupiter . . . no!   
Don't give up, please. We have to protect the Princess," Venus   
sobbed out.  
  
"They're dead," a voice flatly declared. "It's no use   
crying over them. You'd be joining them soon enough."  
  
Venus sharply turned her head and asked in despair,   
"Who are you?! What do you want from us?!" She slumped on the   
ground, her breath staggering, blood pouring out of her mouth.  
  
"Who I am is no concern of yours. What, or rather, who I want   
. . . is my wife."  
  
"Your wife," Venus cried dubiously.  
  
"Yes, my wife," the silver-haired man repeated, looking   
intently at Venus as if she were a child with difficulty of   
understanding. "You have the looks of her. At first I thought   
. . . but, never mind. I cannot see the resemblance any longer."  
  
"What are you talking about?!"  
  
"Must I repeat myself once more? This is becoming rather   
exhausting," he sighed deeply and went on. "Look around you,   
Sailor Venus. You are the only one left breathing. Unfortunately,   
like I said before, you would eventually join them yourself. You   
do realize that you are to blame for these regrettable events.   
If only you had agreed to my conditions earlier, then maybe, just   
maybe, mind you, your so-called friends would still be alive,"   
he paused dramatically and continued. "Alas! You decided to be   
uncooperative and now you must deal with the consequences.   
However, I am not such a terrible man as to not give you a second   
chance. Save yourself, Venus and tell me where you have my wife   
hidden." He stared at her with narrowed eyes and waited.  
  
Venus, frustrated, let out a loud roar. "Aaaahhhhhhh!   
How many times do I have to tell you that I have no idea who   
your wife is, let alone where she is!!!! Why don't you just . . ."   
Venus was cut off when she heard a familiar voice and sighed with   
relief.  
  
Sailor Moon, after surveying her surroundings, concluded that   
three of her friends were only unconscious, not dead. Her face   
turned hard as she stared at the over-confident man. "How dare you   
hurt my friends?" She yelled across the park, her voice full of   
venom. "Just who do you think you are? I am Sailor Moon and in   
the name of the moon, you shall pay for all the suffering you have   
caused!"  
  
Sailor Mini Moon, not to be left out, ran in front of Sailor   
Moon and introduced herself. "And I am Sailor Mini Moon! In the   
name of the future moon, you shall die a painful death!"  
  
"My, my . . . impressive. But not quite impressive enough,"   
the man said in a bored tone.  
  
"Sailor Moon!" Venus exclaimed. "Get out of here. There's   
nothing you can . . . Aaah!" Venus screamed as she was thrown   
clear across the park by an unseen force.   
  
"Sailor Venus! No!" Sailor Moon yelled, anguish deep in   
her voice. "No! Stop it! Please, I'm begging you! Stop it!"   
She sobbed as she started running towards her fallen friend.   
  
Mini Moon grabbed her arm, trying to stop her, a pleading   
tone in her voice, "Sailor Moon, don't! You heard her! We   
should . . ."  
  
"No!" She stared at Mini Moon, tears streaming down her   
face, unchecked. "How could you even suggest such a thing?   
She was your friend, too! What am I saying? She IS your friend.   
She can't die. They can't die!" She sobbed, now hysterically.   
"Let me go!" She pulled away sharply and Mini Moon had no choice   
but to let go.  
  
"That is quite enough!" A loud voice thundered. "You can   
stop right there. I grow weary from all this nonsense." He   
released his hold on Venus and turned his attention to Sailor   
Moon. "I advice you to . . ."  
  
Sailor Moon, still in despair for her friends, interrupted.   
"Advice me to what?" Steel creeping into her voice, she advanced   
towards the man that had caused her such indescribable pain in   
a matter of minutes.  
  
Mini Moon, quietly watched as Sailor Moon seethed with   
anger. She slowly backed away at a safe distance, making sure   
the man cannot see her, all the while giving her a full view   
of every expression on his face. She stopped abruptly when   
something wet and furry met with her legs. She looked down   
and gasped at what she saw. Blood, so much blood. The metallic   
stench was suffocating. She peered down closer and cried out   
softly in surprise at what she had discovered. "Artemis . . .   
oh, Artemis . . ." She bended down and checked the once white   
cat for any signs of life. She noticed a slight rising as   
Artemis tried to breathe with much difficulty. Tears streamed   
down her face from joy as she gingerly picked the cat up and   
carefully pulled him close to her chest. Mini Moon stood up,   
now returning her attention at the danger that surrounded her.   
She realized Sailor Moon was talking quietly, still quite far   
from the man. She strained to hear what Sailor Moon was saying.  
  
"You will not escape here alive," she said with surprising   
calm.  
  
"What? No tears from the great Sailor Moon?"  
  
"Who are you?!"  
  
"I have already been asked that question by dear old   
Venus. And just like your dead friend over there, it is none   
your busin . . ." He stopped all of a sudden as Sailor Moon   
drew to a halt only a few feet away from him. From there, the   
moonlight radiated a glow against her face and what he saw made   
him lose his composure. "Huntress," he whispered softly.  
  
Sailor Moon stared at the man like he was crazy, which in   
truth, he was. "What did you just call me?"  
  
"You don't remember me? What have they done to you, my love?"  
  
She immediately stopped crying, her anger finally getting   
the better of her. "Don't remember you?! I've never met you in   
my entire life!! And don't call me your love!!" Sailor Moon   
protested. The man swallowed up their distance in a wink of an   
eye and she suddenly found herself in his arms. "Let me go!"   
She tried to pull away, but her resistance only made him hold her   
tighter.  
  
He buried his face in her hair, tears falling down his   
face with happiness. "I have finally found you, my love."  
  
"I told you not to call me that!!" Sailor Moon muttered   
against his chest.  
  
Mini Moon stared incredulously at the spectacle unfolding   
in front of her. She cannot understand why this man suddenly   
became so nice. And he was hugging Sailor Moon!! Another man   
was hugging her Moon Mama!! This made her despise the man even   
more. She was about to give that awful man a piece of her mind   
when the bundle she carries stirred. "Reenie . . . "  
  
"Artemis? Ssh. Don't talk. Save your energy."  
  
"Reenie, you must listen to me. That man . . . he will   
kill you as well if he sees you. Stay hidden right here and   
just watch and listen. "  
  
"But Artemis, he's got my Mama!" Reenie cried in protest.  
  
"I know. But you must stay alive to save everybody.   
Prom - . . . promise . . . me . . . that . . . please," Artemis   
pleaded, his energy quickly being extinguished.  
  
"Artemis, stop hurting yourself!" Reenie said in a scolding   
tone. "That man killed Raye, Amy, Lita, and Mina!!" She cried.   
"He might do the same thing to Mama! I can't just stand here and   
watch!"  
  
"He will not kill her. That I am sure of." Artemis   
stopped to clear his chest with the pain. "Promise me, Reenie!"   
He persisted.  
  
"But . . ."  
  
"Trust me and promise me!"  
  
Reenie sniffed in defeat and finally gave her promise.   
'I'm so sorry, Mama,' she thought sadly.  
  
"Now, keep yourself hidden and watch."  
  
"Alright." She gave her attention back to Sailor Moon and   
the Man.  
  
Sailor Moon is really starting to get nervous. She kept   
on trying to pull away and the Man kept on trying to hug her   
even tighter. Finally, she stopped struggling and sighed, tears   
once again streaming down her face. 'Mini Moon!' she thought.   
'I've completely forgotten about her. Please stay away Reenie.   
Don't let him see you! Get away from here!' she ordered inside   
her head, hoping that Mini Moon has somehow heard her. After   
all, she is her daughter. 'Darien . . . Tuxedo Mask . . . where   
are you? Save me from this madman, please . . .' her lip   
quivered as tears started flowing once again.   
  
"Huntress, oh Huntress," the madman whispered in her hair.   
He released her from his tight hold but kept his hands grip her   
shoulders gently. Using his right hand, he lifted Sailor Moon's   
chin and stared down at her, wiping away her tears at the same   
time. 'You haven't changed at all, my love. You are still the   
same woman I fell in love with all those years ago,' he said to   
himself lovingly. It didn't last long as he started having bitter   
thoughts. 'All those years ago when he stole you from me! When   
they all stole you from me . . . erasing your memories . . .   
erasing your love for me. Even your reincarnated self is unaware   
of the betrayal . . .'  
  
Sailor Moon impatiently interrupted his thoughts. "Let go   
of me!" The man, surprise clearly seen on his face, did let go.   
Taking advantage of this, Sailor Moon quickly stepped back   
several feet. As she did so, she changed back to her normal self   
without her knowledge. Only her normal self was not Serena but   
Princess Serenity. She gasped out loud when she found herself   
wearing a white flowing gown with sheer long sleeves in which she   
cannot remember ever wearing on the moon. "What?" She looked at   
the Man. "How did you . . .?"  
  
"It wasn't such a hard task. I merely thought of you   
wearing your wedding dress and here you are. Wearing your   
wedding dress," he added, stating the obvious.  
  
". . . My wed . . . wedding . . . d-dress?" Serenity   
stuttered.  
  
"Yes, your wedding dress," he explained patiently. "The   
one you wore to our wedding."  
  
" . . . Our . . . wed . . . ding . . .," she whispered   
with horror. She stood there, absorbing what she has just been   
told. "I married YOU?!" she cried disbelievingly and stared at   
him with disgust.  
  
"Don't look at me like that! Yes. You married ME. I   
understand that you cannot remember me, but you soon will.   
That I promise you, Huntress."  
  
"But, I don't even know you! And why do you call me that?"  
  
The man sighed, trying to regain his slowly dissipating   
patience. "My name is Hunter, SERENITY. I gave you the name   
Huntress a long time ago, during our past life when we were   
childhood friends."  
  
"We were childhood friends back on the moon?" Serenity   
whispered.  
  
"Yes. We were the best of friends. But everybody thought   
it inappropriate. They wouldn't allow it," he said, resentment   
slithering in his voice.  
  
"Why?" She asked, finally thinking the possibility of   
knowing this man.  
  
"Why? Because I didn't belong."  
  
"You weren't of royalty?"  
  
"No," Hunter answered, anger apparent in his voice. "I   
was merely the son of your chambermaid."  
  
"My chambermaid?" she paused, thinking. "Myra . . ."  
  
"Yes. You do remember me!!" he said happily.  
  
Serenity sadly shook her head no. "I'm sorry, but I don't   
remember Myra having any child."  
  
Hunter quietly bowed his head, thinking. He blurted out   
without warning, startling Serenity in the process, "You're not   
afraid of me, are you my love?"  
  
"No, but I still cannot forgive you for what you have done,"   
Serenity said between clenched teeth, the death of the scouts   
returning to her.  
  
Hunter suddenly felt remorse, but it only lasted about a   
second or two. "I wish I could tell you I was sorry. But I'm not."   
At this, Serenity mouth dropped open in revulsion. Seeing this,   
Hunter immediately explained. "Once you got your memory back about   
their betrayals, you'll understand. I promise."  
  
"I don't think so," she flatly said. She added quickly,   
"They would never betray me."  
  
"Why don't we find out?"  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"I can help you remember everything. All you have to do   
is come back with me to the past. During the Silver Millennium."  
  
Serenity started thinking about his request then shook   
her head as if to clear it. 'What am I doing? Am I actually   
giving this whole thing a thought? And why not? I can't see   
why not. My friends . . . they're all gone and it's all my   
fault for not getting here sooner . . . Darien pushed me away . . .   
My own family is starting to regret having me as a daughter . . .   
Luna, oh Luna. Even she has given up on me. Reenie . . . she   
doesn't deserve a meatball head like me as her mother. She'd   
be better off without me. They'd all be better off without me,'   
she thought sadly. 'He really seems to love me,' she ponders,   
staring at Hunter with confused, depressed eyes. 'Maybe, I   
should . . .' "Fine. I'll go with you," she decided quietly.  
  
"You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."   
Hunter looked at her and continued. "Ready to go?" He held   
out his hand.  
  
"Yes." And with that, she took the hand offered and   
disappeared into the night along with him with no trace   
whatsoever.  
  
DARIEN'S APARTMENT  
  
"What are you telling me, Luna?" Darien asked the feline   
gravely.  
  
Luna gulped nervously. "I'm saying that Serena is   
married to another man."  
  
Darien stared at her for a few minutes. Luna started   
sweating bullets. After a while, he looked away, stood up and   
punched the wall. His knuckles came back bloody. Though the   
wall was left in a much worse condition. "You knew all of this   
and you still let her go?!"   
  
"She has the right to know!" Luna quickly defended   
herself.  
  
"But she belongs to me!" Darien insisted.  
  
"If I remember correctly, and I do I assure you, you gave   
her up without a second thought," Luna pointed out angrily.  
  
Darien turned around and faced Luna which caused her to   
gasp. Tears ran down his haggard face, his eyes were bloodshot.   
It was obvious that he hasn't had much sleep lately. "The   
nightmares . . . the nightmares I had, the nightmares I still   
have . . .," he whispered. Luna raised an eyebrow (if cats do   
indeed raise eyebrows) questioningly. "The nightmares told me   
to let her go if I wanted her to stay alive," he said as an   
explanation. Luna nodded in understanding.  
  
"So you still love her?"  
  
"I never stopped."  
  
Both of them turned quiet, nothing they can think of to   
say at the moment. All of a sudden, the door to the apartment   
banged open as Mini Moon ran in.   
  
"Reenie!" Darien exclaimed. He gathered the little girl   
in his arms, the last link he has to Serena. Reenie tries to   
catch her breath as she was smothered by a desperate Darien. She   
hugged her father back and burst into tears. "Reenie?" Darien   
asked worriedly, letting go just enough to see her tear-streaked   
face.  
  
"Darien! It was terrible!" Reenie sobbed uncontrollably.   
A movement between them caught their attention. Looking down   
at her arms, Reenie gasped. "Artemis! Oh, I'm so sorry!" She   
carefully placed the badly injured cat on the floor.  
  
"Artemis!" Luna cried in anguish once she got a good look   
of her blood-soaked friend. She ran to his side and purred.   
Darien quickly treated the cat and wrapped him in blankets to   
cease the trembling. With that done, he gave his full attention  
back to Reenie who had returned to her normal self during the   
treatment.  
  
"Tell us everything that happened. From the beginning."  
  
"It was terrible!" Reenie sobbed. "All the scouts are dead!"  
  
"From the beginning, Reenie," Darien pleaded.  
  
"Alright," she took deep breaths and started telling the   
events that led to so much suffering. "It all started when Luna   
woke me up and told me about a fight at the park. I tried to   
wake up Serena. You know her. It was so hard. And then when   
she finally did wake up . . ." she continued on with her story,   
describing everything she saw in surprisingly explicit detail.   
She told them that by the time she and Sailor Moon came to the   
scene, only Venus was left alive. But that didn't last long.   
When she got to the point where Hunter hugged Serena, or rather   
Serenity, Darien broke down in tears. He finally realized his   
mistake. The mistake of letting her go over some stupid dream.   
Reenie ended with Hunter and Serenity vanishing hand in hand.  
  
"I've lost her. I've truly lost her," Darien murmured   
to himself.  
  
Reenie, realizing an important fact, asked, "Darien, why   
didn't you come?"  
  
Darien looked at her in agony then turned his head away.   
"I didn't feel her," he said quietly. "I didn't feel anything."  
  
Luna, tears covering her entire face down to her whiskers,   
whispered the ghastly truth. "The scouts are dead. They are   
truly dead. And Serena . . . Princess . . . I'm so sorry . . ."  
  
If that wasn't bad enough, Reenie started to dematerialize.   
"Darien! Luna! Help me!"  
  
Darien spun around to find his only link to Serena half-gone.   
"Reenie!" he yelled. "No! Don't you leave me, too!" He tried   
to grab her hand but could only grasp the air in front of him.   
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
Luna wailed uncontrollably and joined Darien in tears.   
"What have we done? What have we done? We have lost. The   
future now ceases to exist."  
  
END BOOK 1  
  
  
  
  
Sorry for the sad ending and ending the story like that.   
Don't worry, this is only the first book of my many books   
on this series. So fret no longer . . . And don't get mad at   
me!! I thought I ended it at the perfect moment. Now you'll   
have to read all my books to get the ENTIRE picture. Hehehe. ;)   
  
So, how'd you like it? Good, bad, don't care? Please send me   
comments, suggestions, questions, but please no flames. Nobody   
likes them. Thank you for sticking with me to the very end.   
(This end anyway.) *^_^* 


	2. Memories of the Past

Just a short note. This follows Book 1: The Forgotten Past. You   
don't have to read that one first, but I suggest you do just because   
it's better that way. It'll also help you get the BIG picture.   
Another thing . . . Serenity's name will be Huntress whenever Hunter   
is around. You'll understand better once you read the story. And   
towards the end, point of views change as mentioned. That's all.   
Hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. *^_^*  
  
The rating is G. There's nothing here but kiddie chatter. You'll   
still read my story, right? Oh! I think you should know that I will   
NEVER put cuss words in any of my stories. I don't like them and   
think they're unnecessary. That's all. I guess this wasn't such a   
short note . . . But I digress.  
  
  
MEMORIES OF THE PAST   
By: Moonbunny83  
6/19/01 - 6/29/01  
E-mail: moonbunny83@hotmail.com  
Sailor Moon created by:   
Naoko Takeuchi  
New characters and the Moon Gloria belong to me.  
  
  
BOOK 2  
  
THE SILVER MILLENNIUM, ON THE MOON  
  
Five-year-old Serenity wandered in her gardens, running with   
joyful cries. Today is her birthday, June 30th. She has finally   
turned five and she can now start with her lessons. She cannot   
wait to learn how to fight, how to defend herself and show off   
to those cooty-covered boys. She suddenly stopped, a bit out   
of breath, as she plucked out her most favorite flower on the   
moon. It was called the Moon Gloria. It was simply exquisite   
with its velvety texture and fragrant odor. The Moon Gloria   
came in many colors. That is what Serenity loved about it. A   
floral bouquet of the Moon Gloria would leave one breathless   
with its bountiful beauty. The particular one the Princess   
picked was pink with tiny lavender pistils sprouting from the   
middle. She inhaled its sweet scent as she continued running   
amok the gardens. Twirling the flower in hand, she abruptly   
stopped as she heard a sob coming from just several feet away   
from her. She quietly walked towards the muffled noise, careful   
as to not step on any fallen branches. As she drew closer, she   
sees a disheveled little boy, not much older than she is. His   
silver hair hung in a disarray around his shaking shoulders.   
  
'Why, it is only a servant boy,' she thought, amazed as she   
realized that she has a trespasser on her dainty hands. 'I   
cannot believe that he would dare enter my gardens without   
my permission! I simply cannot allow this,' she nodded, her   
decision well taken care of. 'Even if he is crying . . . I   
must order him to leave . . . But he is so sad-looking.'   
Serenity, changing her mind about having the boy leave, stepped   
out of her hiding place and cheerfully greeted the boy. "Hi!"   
  
The boy immediately ceased his crying once he became aware that   
he wasn't alone any longer. He looked up, his deep brown eyes   
glazed with fresh tears. Serenity's heart went to him when she   
saw his tear-stricken face and swollen red nose. He looked away   
quickly to hide his face and asked in a low, tear-filled voice,   
"What do you want?" Serenity, shocked at the boy's lack of   
decorum, stood there with her mouth agape. The boy, impatience   
was his nature, asked yet again. "I said what do you want?"   
He made sure to look anywhere but Serenity as he waited for an   
answer. The boy sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve.   
Finally, impatience won and he spun around to look at the   
still gaping Princess. "Close your mouth before a bug decides   
to use it as a home," he snapped, his voice tinged with  
annoyance.  
  
Serenity closed her mouth, not because this sad excuse of a boy   
has asked her to, no, ORDERED her to, but because she hated bugs   
and the idea of having one in her mouth doesn't sit well with her   
stomach. At last finding her voice again, she asked with the   
innocence of any five-year-olds, "Why are you crying?"  
  
As rudely as he could without hurting her feelings, though he   
has no idea why he cared about this little princess' feelings,   
the boy answered, "None of your business."  
  
Serenity throws a tantrum and stomps her foot against the   
mossy ground. "It is too my business," she protested.   
"You are in my garden and I'm a princess and you're not!"  
  
The boy looked at her as if she was crazy and stood up from   
the huge rock he was sitting on. "Fine. Then I'll leave you   
to your precious garden, YOUR HIGHNESS." He made sure to add   
emphasis on her stature and bowed to her in an attempt to mock.   
Then added, "By the way, I'm a boy and not a sissy like girls   
and that's why I'm not a princess!" He abruptly turned and   
started walking away from Serenity. Strangely enough, Serenity   
felt a sense of loss as she watched the boy leave. Her bottom   
lip quivered as if to cry, which she eventually did. At the   
unsuspecting noise, the boy turned back around and stared at   
her incredulously. He was about to ignore her when all of a   
sudden, he started to strangely feel bad about his behavior.   
After all, a pampered princess like this one was most likely   
unused to rough comments. He sighed in defeat and walked back   
to stand directly in front of her. He simply watched, waiting   
for her to cease the racket she was causing. Serenity, finally   
sensing his presence, immediately stopped and looked at him with   
red eyes and nose. "Are you finished?" the boy asked, making   
sure he did so nicely this time. Serenity nodded her head slowly.   
She stared at him. Her stare was unnerving for a sprite like her.   
Unexpectedly, she burst out laughing -- laughing so hard, she had   
to wrapped her arms around her stomach. Once again, the boy was   
left speechless at her unusual antics. Fed up, he threw up his   
hands into the air as he cried out, "What is so stinking funny?"  
  
Serenity, holding her sides, answered between hiccups. "Hic,   
you, hic, look, hic, like, hic, a, hic, clown!"  
  
"Look who's talking!" the boy retorted back.   
  
That caused Serenity to end her laughter right away. "Hey!   
Your nose is much redder than mine!!"  
  
"Right . . .," the boy said sarcastically. "Want a mirror?"  
  
Serenity, her mind blank for a comeback, blurted out, "You're   
a wretched boy!! I don't like you at all!"  
  
The boy felt upset with that comment, but he wasn't about to   
let her know it. "Well, I don't like you either! So there!"  
  
Serenity's face fell and she walked to the rock the boy once   
sat and plopped herself down. She started playing with her   
Moon Gloria as she began to mope. He snubbed her and thus she   
began the classic silent treatment. The boy turned himself   
away and took the silent challenge. They stayed like that, not   
saying a word to each other, for quite along time. For Serenity,   
this was almost an impossible feat, but she wasn't about to let   
a servant boy beat her at her own game. Long moments passed   
before the boy heard the noise. He looked around, trying to find   
the culprit and his eyes rested on Serenity. 'She's crying,' he   
thought to himself. 'Man! This is so unfair! If there's anything   
I can't stand, it's girls crying.' The proof was what he did when   
Serenity first opened the floodgates many hours ago. It's getting   
late and he knew how much little girls hated the dark so he decided   
to let her win her stupid game. "Girls," he muttered in disgust.   
He dragged himself towards Serenity reluctantly. Once directly   
behind her, he said in defeat, "All right. You win." Serenity   
turned around, her face bright, as she smiled up to the boy.  
  
"Hi!" she started once again. She suddenly remembered the flower   
she's been holding onto and gave it to the little boy. "My name's   
Serenity. What's yours?"  
  
The boy accepted the Moon Gloria all the while watching her glowing   
face with awe and shook his head clear when he heard the question.   
"Hunter," he answered straight to the point.  
  
"That's a weird name."  
  
"And yours, isn't? Se-re-ni-ty. That is so girly."  
  
"Well, I am a girl! Besides, I was named after my mother, Queen   
Serenity!"  
  
"So what? I still say your name stinks."  
  
"Like you can think of anything better!"  
  
"As a matter of fact, I can!"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Well, then, what's my new name?"  
  
"Let me see . . .," Hunter stopped to think of a new name for   
Serenity. "It's got to be as cool as mine." Serenity rolled   
her eyes at that comment. She tried to wait patiently, she   
really did.  
  
"Think of something already!" she stated exasperatingly.  
  
"I got it! Your new name is Huntress!" he grinned at himself   
for thinking of something so clever.  
  
"Huntress?" Serenity asked disbelievingly. "You're naming me   
Huntress?"  
  
"Sure, why not?"  
  
"Nothing. It's just . . . Weird. But I guess it could be worse."  
  
"Hey!" Hunter cried, taking offense.  
  
Serenity sighed and declared, "Fine! My name's going to be   
Huntress from now on."  
  
"Wicked cool!"  
  
"But only when we're alone."  
  
"How come? I thought you liked it."  
  
"I never said I liked it!" Serenity, rather, Huntress disagreed.   
"I just don't think my mother would be ecstatic. Or anybody   
else for that matter."  
  
"Fine with me. After all, I did give you your new name so I   
should be the only one allowed to use it," he said, arrogance   
in his manner.  
  
"Whatever," Huntress rolled her eyes yet again. It was   
beginning to become a habit around this boy -- a habit that   
wouldn't get an approval from her instructors or her mother.   
Looking at the suddenly darken garden, she said to her new-found   
friend, "We better go. It's starting to get dark."  
  
"I knew it!" Hunter exclaimed. "You ARE afraid of the dark!"  
  
"Am not!"  
  
"Are too! All girls are!"  
  
"Not this girl!!!!"  
  
Not wanting to see her bursting into tears again, Hunter simply   
stated, "We'll see, we'll see . . ."  
  
On that very day, June 30th, Serenity's/Huntress' birthday, a   
long-lasting friendship was born. Two friends formed a bond   
that will become tested throughout the years. As the sun   
began to set, Hunter and Huntress went on their separate ways.   
One headed toward prosperity, the other toward poverty.  
  
QUEEN SERENTIY'S CHAMBER  
  
"Luna, have you seen the Princess?" inquired Queen Serenity, a   
worried frown marring her flawless face.  
  
Luna blinked in surprise and answered in concern, "Why, no, Your   
Majesty. She is probably in her chambers right at this very   
moment," she added hastily once she saw how much the Queen was   
fretting.   
  
Queen Serenity started pacing back and forth, back and forth,   
back and forth, all the while wringing her hands nervously. She   
started muttering under her breath about the dangers outside the   
palace grounds. Exasperatedly, she sighed and left the chambers,   
leaving the door wide open. Luna stayed behind in shock at the   
sovereign's behavior. Finally, she, too left the room in search   
of the missing Princess.  
  
'Princess Serenity, of all days to disappear, you had to pick   
this one,' Luna complained silently as she trudged along the   
long corridors.   
  
MEANWHILE . . .  
  
"Oooh!" Princess Serenity exclaimed with happiness. "Just wait   
till I tell Luna about my new best friend!" She has just   
returned inside the palace and couldn't contain her excitement   
about the good news. She ran up a staircase, skipped down a   
hall, and opened the door to her chambers. She was about to   
jump on her bed when she heard a loud meow of indignation.   
Alarmed, she spun abruptly toward the noise and saw a black   
cat with a crescent moon bald spot staring at her with a   
disapproving glare. Serenity jumped in surprise. "Luna!,"   
she cried. "You gave me a fright!" She took deep breaths to   
calm her racing heart.  
  
Luna raised her cat's eyebrow in disbelief. "I gave YOU a   
fright? Well, of all the . . . Where have you been, child?   
You gave your mother and I a fright."  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry. I never meant to do that," Serenity bowed   
her tiny head in shame. "I was just taking a walk in my gardens.   
I didn't leave the palace grounds, I promise!"  
  
Luna, who could never stay angry at the young Princess, purred   
with forgiveness. "Just remember to tell somebody about   
your whereabouts and save us some worries."  
  
"Yes, Luna," she immediately agreed to placate the cat.  
  
"What were you doing in the gardens anyway? What could've   
taken you so long that you had to stay outside until dark?"  
  
Serenity cried with delight. "Oooh, Luna! Have I got a lot   
to tell you!"  
  
"Is that so? Well, spit it out. I can see you can barely   
keep it to yourself," Luna said, amusement apparent in her tone.  
  
Not waiting for any more invitation, Serenity spilled everything   
about the day's events -- starting with the Moon Gloria and   
ending with her new name.  
  
"Huntress?!" Luna practically screamed in disgust.  
  
"Luna, shush. I don't want anybody to hear. Oh! I should   
never have told you!" Serenity lamented with regrets.  
  
Luna, too engrossed with the new name, missed what she said   
and kept on ranting. "Just wait until I tell Queen Serenity   
about this! The nerve of that boy. Giving you an inappropriate   
name . . ."  
  
"Luna! No! Don't tell Mama!" the Princess protested.  
  
"Why ever not? The Queen has a right to know."  
  
"She wouldn't approve of Hunter and you know it!"  
  
"I very well understand why she wouldn't!" Luna retorted back.  
  
"Luna, please don't!" By this time, Serenity was crying her   
heart out. Tears flowed down her pixie face as she kept   
insisting Luna to keep her secret.  
  
Luna finally stopped her outburst and look at the child sadly.   
"All right," she sighed in acquiescence.   
  
Serenity gasped in pleasure, kneeled on the floor and smothered   
the feline with a huge hug. "Thank you, Luna!" she sniffed.   
"I knew I could count on you."  
  
"Princess I can't breathe!!!!" Luna gasped for air.  
  
"Sorry!" Serenity immediately let go. She stood up with a big   
smile.  
  
"Take that as a birthday present from me," Luna said, smiling   
back. "It's late. Get ready for bed and I'll inform the Queen   
to tuck you in," she told Serenity as she tried to get her regal   
composure back, but only to lose it again right away.   
"The Queen! Oh, dear. She has been running back and forth the   
entire palace looking for you! She must be worried sick by now.   
Oh, dear." A fussing Luna immediately left the chamber, this   
time in search for her Majesty, the Queen. Then, as an   
afterthought, she turned and said quietly, "Happy Birthday,   
Princess."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Luna then resumed with her search, regrets now settling in.   
'Why do I get the feeling I'm doing the wrong thing by keeping   
this to myself?' she thought worriedly. She released a sigh   
and started descending the staircase.  
  
AFTERNOON, THE NEXT DAY - PRINCESS SERENITY'S GARDENS  
  
"Where is that boy?" Huntress wondered grouchily. "He couldn't   
possibly have forgotten about our picnic." She plopped herself   
down on their 'rock' and placed the picnic basket she brought   
along on the grassy floor.  
  
"Stop pouting," a voice scolded. "You're a princess and   
princesses don't pout."  
  
Huntress smiled to herself, but replaced her expression with a   
frown as she faced the voice's owner. "I don't pout!" she   
pouted, her bottom lip sticking out stubbornly.   
  
Hunter sat next to her and replied with sarcasm, "Really?   
Then what are you doing now?"  
  
"Oh! Be quiet! What do you know?"  
  
"Much more than you do!"  
  
"You're telling a falsehood! You can't be that smart! Why,   
you're only a little boy!" she said, her face smug.  
  
"I'm only a little b-," Hunter sputtered. "I'm almost ten   
years old!"  
  
"Oh, yeah? Well, I just turned five years old yesterday!"  
  
Hunter gave her a look that said 'Are you stupid?' "Don't you   
know how to count?"  
  
"Yes I do," she fibbed.  
  
Hunter looked at her straight in the eye and said slowly,   
"Then you do realize that I'm older than you, right?"  
  
Huntress stared right back at him, still sulking. "That's   
irrelevant," she argued.   
  
"Irrelevant," he repeated in disbelief. "Where did you learn to   
use such big words?" He looked at her as if she had two heads   
connected to her neck. He added to himself, muttering,   
"Irrelevant, falsehoods . . . And she's supposed to be five."  
  
"I know such words because I'm much smarter than you."  
  
"Do you even know what 'irrelevant' means?"  
  
"Of course I do!" Huntress cried out indignantly.  
  
"Well, then, enlighten me," Hunter drawled out.  
  
"Ummm . . . Well, it means not relevant."  
  
"Nice try, Bubble Brain."  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
"Don't call you what, Bubble Brain?" Hunter asked with a grin.  
  
"You're mean!"  
  
"Tell me something you haven't told me."  
  
"You're just jealous because I'm smarter than you."  
  
"Are we back to that? You haven't even proven that you are   
smarter than me."  
  
Huntress looked away and once again started the infamous   
silent treatment.  
  
"Oh, come on! Don't try that again! We'd be sitting here   
until the sun sets! Just tell me how . . ." He stopped   
immediately when Huntress looked back at him with eyes glazed   
with unshed tears. "You have no idea what it means, do you?"   
he asked quietly. She sniffed and shook her head no.  
  
"I just heard my mother use it once," she explained in a small   
voice. Then louder, she added, "But I'm still smarter than you!"  
  
Hunter looked at her and finally gave in. "Fine. Whatever.   
We'll see."  
  
Neither said another word for a few minutes until Huntress said   
in a reluctant tone, "Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"What does it mean?"  
  
Hunter burst out laughing and answered, "I'm not telling you."  
  
"Why not?" Huntress complained.  
  
"You're supposed to be smarter than me. Find out yourself."  
  
"I thought you were my friend."  
  
"When did I say that?" he asked, mischief in his voice.   
Unfortunately, Huntress missed it so she released the waterworks.   
Hunter's face fell when he realized what he had done. "I was just   
kidding!" he promptly clarified.   
  
Her tears stopped as quickly as they had come. Huntress gave   
him a bright smile and announced cheerfully, "Let's eat!"  
  
"About time!" Hunter complained. "I'm starving." He watched   
her remove the picnic cloth on top of the basket and heard her   
let out a shriek of anger. "What is it?" he asked with alarm.  
  
"Luna!" she said in a rejected tone.   
  
Hunter thought to himself, 'She gave a picnic basket a name?'   
As soon as he had finish his thought, he took notice of another   
sound. A cat-like sound. A meowing sound.  
  
"I'm disappointed in you!" Huntress continued.  
  
"What's going on? Do you have a cat in there?" Right away,   
a black cat with a crescent moon bald spot entered his line of   
sight.  
  
Huntress ignored him and kept on giving the cat a piece of her   
mind. "You sneaky feline! You've been listening, haven't   
you?" she asked accusingly.  
  
Luna, her head bowed down in humiliation, explained, "I meant   
no harm, Princess. I only wanted to make sure this new friend   
of yours deserves your friendship." With that, she gave Hunter   
a dark glare.  
  
"Now wait just a second . . .," Hunter protested.  
  
"Luna, I want you to leave," Huntress interrupted.  
  
"Now, be reasonable, Princess. I wanted to meet your friend."  
  
"So you sneaked inside my picnic basket?"   
  
"I realize my actions are unacceptable, but . . ."  
  
"Hello? I'm still here. I'm starving, Huntress.   
Forget the bald cat and let's eat whatever you have in   
that basket of yours," Hunter informed them with a raised   
voice. He added with an evil glint in his eyes, "That   
includes the cat."  
  
"EXCUSE ME?! YOU NOT ONLY DARE CALL ME BALD, BUT YOU ALSO   
DARE THREATEN TO EAT ME?!" Luna started sharpening her   
claws and stared at Hunter's neck with a wicked purpose.  
  
Huntress intervened just in time. "NOBODY is going to eat   
Luna! And NOBODY is going to scratch Hunter!" She screamed.   
She sighed with frustration and addressed her cat, "We'll talk   
about this later, Feline." She stood up and started pacing   
back and forth all the while saying, "Let's start this again,   
agreed?" She gave Hunter and Luna a fierce look. Both backed   
down and nodded mutely. "Well, then," she clapped her hands   
together. "Hunter, I would like you to meet Luna, my mother's   
royal advisor. And Luna, I would like you to meet Hunter, my   
BEST FRIEND." She made sure she added an emphasis to the word   
best friend so Luna would understand that she means to keep   
Hunter no matter her opinion on the matter.  
  
"Pleasure to meet you," Luna replied courteously, albeit   
reluctantly.  
  
"Likewise, but I've already heard of you," Hunter informed   
both females.  
  
"You've heard of Luna?" Huntress asked in surprise.  
  
"Yeah. My mother told me about her."  
  
"Who's your mother, boy?" Luna questioned Hunter.  
  
"My mother's Myra."  
  
"Myra?!" Huntress cried out? "My chambermaid's name is Myra."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Well," Luna grumbled. "Small world."  
  
"I've heard of Hermes, too," Hunter bragged.  
  
Huntress and Luna looked at each other in confusion. "Hermes?"   
they both repeated at the same time.  
  
"Yeah, Hermes," he said, annoyance creeping in his voice.   
"You know? The other talking cat? He's bald, too. Only   
difference is that his fur is white."  
  
"Artemis!!" Luna said in understanding.  
  
"Artemis? Who's he?"  
  
Luna looked at the boy impatiently and explained, "His name is   
Artemis, not Hermes."  
  
"Same difference," Hunter nonchalantly said.  
  
"Same difference . . .," Luna muttered. "Just wait until I   
tell Artemis about this."  
  
Huntress heard and objected, "You will not! You promised you'd keep   
this to yourself! It was my birthday present! You can't take it   
back!"  
  
Luna said in defeat, "A promise is a promise. I'll keep it   
to myself."  
  
"Thanks, Luna!" Huntress gleefully expressed her gratitude.  
  
"Can we eat now?" Hunter whined. "I'm starving."  
  
"Don't you eat at home, boy?" Luna snapped.  
  
"Stop calling me boy! I do have a name!" he snapped back.  
  
"Luna! Be nice. He can't help being a glutton."  
  
"Hey! I resent that!" Hunter grumbled. "Glutton . . . And   
she's five years old," he said quietly to himself, remembering   
Huntress' unusually broad vocabulary. He watched the mini   
sandwiches being distributed. He took a slice and once again   
complained, "This is suppose to satisfy my stomach?!"  
  
"Don't eat it if you don't like it," was the only comment   
Huntress gave him.  
  
"I'm eating it, I'm eating it," he mumbled as he took a bite and   
watched the smile on Huntress' face.  
  
All three ate in silence as the afternoon quickly passed. Soon,   
it was time for the friends to part.  
  
"Princess, we better go back before your mother starts   
suspecting something," Luna informed her ward.  
  
Not wanting to go just yet, but knew how vital her decision   
is to ensure the secrecy, she complied. "I'm sorry, Hunter,   
but Luna's right."  
  
"Of course I'm right," the cat sniffed with her nose in the air.  
  
"I guess, I better go, too," Hunter agreed. "See ya later,   
Huntress, Luna!" With that, he ran towards home.  
  
"Huntress," Luna whispered in disgust, watching the Princess   
wave her good byes to her friend. "Didn't even bother saying   
thank you," she added under her breath.  
  
"What was that, Luna?" Serenity asked, her eyes blinking with   
innocence.   
  
"Nothing important. Let's clean up this mess and head on home."  
  
"All right."  
  
FIVE YEARS LATER, EARLY IN THE MORNING  
  
"Princess Serenity," the chambermaid Myra gleefully said in a   
voice loud enough to wake the dead. She went to the window   
and swiped the frilly, pink curtains open, allowing the sun to   
shine through. "It's time to get up!!" Myra advanced to the   
king-sized bed decorated with little bunnies prancing about.   
She sat on the foot of the bed and gently shook the Princess.   
"Your Highness, you really must get up," she insisted in a soft   
voice this time.   
  
Serenity whacked her hands away and said tiredly, "Go away,   
Myra. Leave me alone."  
  
"But Princess, don't you remember what today is?"  
  
Serenity, with her eyes closed, sighed. She recalled her   
mother saying that the Prince of Earth was coming for a visit.   
The Queen expected her daughter to befriend the young man.   
Serenity strongly refused. She would rather spend her time   
with Hunter. Of course, she couldn't tell her mother that.   
In the end, the Queen won, threatening to forbid Serenity to   
visit her gardens. She sighed again. Today is that day.   
The day she had so tried to forget has finally arrived.   
Serenity tentatively opened her eyes and found Myra smiling   
down at her. She tried to find any resemblance with Hunter,   
but couldn't find any. She was surprisingly young. With a   
fifteen-year old son, she should at least have wrinkles on her   
face, but she doesn't. Unlike Hunter, his mother's hair was   
soft black with purple highlights that reached down to her waist.   
Her piercing hazel eyes watched her warily. 'Hunter must have   
gotten his silver hair and brown eyes from his father,' she   
thought sleepily. Serenity would never find out since Hunter   
refused to talk about his father. He didn't like talking about   
himself at all. She couldn't ask Myra about the father. She's   
not even aware of the friendship the Princess bears with her son.   
Serenity, finishing with her thoughts, stood up slowly, rubbing   
the sleep out of her eyes.  
  
"Are you awake now?" Myra asked amusedly.   
  
Serenity yawned and nodded. "Is today the dreaded day?" she   
asked the chambermaid begrudgingly.  
  
"Yes," she answered, trying to mind her own business. She   
couldn't understand why the Princess was so set against meeting   
the Earth Prince. She wanted to ask, but remembered her station   
and thus kept her musings to herself.  
  
Serenity got out of bed and headed towards her enormous closet.   
"I would like to wear something pink today," she yelled across   
the room.  
  
Myra chuckled at the un-princess-like behavior and yelled back.   
"I'll have it ready for you, Your Highness!"  
  
DOWNSTAIRS, INSIDE THE THRONE ROOM  
  
Queen Serenity greeted her newly-arrived guests warmly. "Terra,   
Endymion, it is so wonderful to see the both of you again.   
I haven't seen you in sixteen years!" The Queen gave her   
life-long friend a huge hug then turned and faced the tall   
young man. "Endymion . . . You have grown so much! You were   
only an infant last I saw you. You probably don't even remember   
me." She pinched Endymion's cheeks and gathered him in her arms.  
  
Terra, the Queen of Earth, laughed out loud. "Serenity, you   
haven't changed a bit!!" Queen Serenity allowed the squirming   
Prince escape her clutches and she laughed along.  
  
Princess Serenity has been quietly watching her mother's   
strange behavior. She smiled to herself as the Queen started   
laughing. She looked around the room and her eyes rested upon   
a dark mop of hair. As though he felt her eyes watching him,   
Prince Endymion spun around and found himself staring back.   
He raised an eyebrow questioningly at the Princess. He   
noticed that she seemed upset about something. Almost like   
she was upset upon seeing him, which was ridiculous.   
Serenity looked at a pair of ocean-blue eyes with wariness.   
'So he's the Prince of Earth,' she mused. 'Might as well   
get this over with.' She walked gracefully across the chamber   
and cleared her throat to get her mother's attention.  
  
Queen Serenity noticed her daughter advancing toward her and   
smiled. "Serenity, come," she summoned. To the Earth Queen,   
she said, "Terra, this beautiful young lady is my dearest   
daughter, Serenity."  
  
Terra gave the Princess an enthusiastic embrace and looked at   
her intently. "All grown up. How old are you, child?"  
  
Serenity curtsied and answered in a strong voice, "I am ten   
years old, Your Majesty."  
  
"And my son is sixteen," she replied still smiling.  
  
"That's . . . great, Your Majesty . . .," the Princess answered,   
lacking of anything else to say.  
  
"Daughter," Queen Serenity addressed the Princess. "This   
handsome young man is Endymion," she said, looking pointedly   
at the Prince. "I expect the two of you to become good   
friends."  
  
"Yes, Mother," the ten-year-old answered in a quiet voice.  
  
The Moon Queen clapped her hands together and announced in a   
loud voice, "My daughter shall show the Prince around the   
palace. Why don't you take him to your gardens first,   
Serenity?"  
  
Serenity nodded, curtsied yet again and left the chamber   
with Endymion close at her heels.  
  
SERENITY'S GARDENS - Endymion's point of view  
  
I reluctantly followed the meatball-headed Princess. I could   
hardly believe it when my mother told me to get myself   
acquainted with this little girl. I suppose this Moon Princess   
wasn't excited about the idea either, but that doesn't excuse   
the fact that she's ignoring me. She was walking too fast for   
someone her age. I started keeping my pace alongside her when   
something suddenly caught my eye. I stopped and stooped down.   
What had made me stop was one of the most beautiful flower I   
have ever seen. I've never seen anything like it on Earth. It   
was so colorful. One bush consisted of so many bright colors   
that I just had to have one. I chose one with red petals and   
yellow pistils in the middle. I stayed there, staring at the   
flower intently, and lost my train of thought.  
  
Serenity's point of view -  
  
I grudgingly lead the way to my gardens. I didn't want to   
waste my time showing the entire palace to this ungrateful   
prince. He hasn't said a single word to me which was fine.   
I wasn't about to break the ice when I suddenly noticed that   
I was walking by myself. I turned around and saw him standing   
several feet away from me with an engrossed look carved on his   
handsome face. Yes, he is handsome. I give him that and   
nothing else. I sighed, blowing my bangs away from my eyes in   
the process, and started tracing my steps to where he stood.   
I smiled when I finally became aware of what was captivating   
him. He had a Moon Gloria in his hand and he was looking at   
it with so much admiration that I decided he couldn't be that   
bad. I quietly approached him and exhaled a breath of defeat.   
I suppose I had to break the ice.  
  
Third person -  
  
Serenity sighed yet again and said in a clear voice, "That's   
called the Moon Gloria."  
  
Endymion, startled, dropped the flower on the grassy floor.   
"What?" he asked in confusion.  
  
Serenity picked the fallen flower and handed it back to him.   
"I said this is called the Moon Gloria," she repeated patiently.  
  
"Moon Gloria?" Endymion, still surprised, echoed Serenity.  
  
Serenity giggled in response. "Yes. It's called the Moon   
Gloria," she said slowly this time.   
  
Endymion smiled at her and placed the flower behind her left   
ear. "Beautiful . . .," he whispered softly, taking real   
notice of Serenity for the first time.  
  
"Yes, it is a beautiful flower. Would you like to hear the   
legend that goes with it?"  
  
Endymion continued smiling and nodded. "I would love to."  
  
Hunter's point of view -  
  
I stayed hidden behind a huge tree some feet away from   
Huntress. I frowned when I saw the Earth Prince place a Moon   
Gloria behind her ear. How could she let him do that?   
Doesn't she remember that the Moon Gloria is OUR flower? It   
symbolizes our friendship. She gave me a pink one five years   
ago that I kept with me at all times. Tears slowly fell down   
my face. I wiped them away with a vengeance, all the while   
thinking if perhaps Huntress is replacing me with someone   
else. Then and there, I made a vow. Huntress belongs to me.   
Anybody who says otherwise will die.  
  
A WEEK LATER - SERENITY'S GARDENS  
  
"Hunter, why are you so quiet?" Huntress asked worriedly.  
  
"Am I? Sorry," he apologized in a monotone voice.  
  
Persistent as always, Huntress demanded, "Tell me!"  
  
Hunter looked at her thoughtfully and blurted out, "Are we   
still friends?"  
  
Huntress blinked in surprise and assured him softly, "Of   
course! We're best friends and nothing is going to change   
that!"  
  
"Nothing and NOBODY, right?"   
  
"What?"  
  
"NOBODY is going to prevent us from being friends, right?"  
  
"Of course!" Huntress stared at him, perplexed. "I thought   
you knew that."  
  
"I did," he agreed. "I just wanted to make sure you   
haven't changed your mind."  
  
Huntress gave him a stern look. "All right," she said   
firmly. "What is this really about?"  
  
Hunter looked sheepishly at her and said in an offended   
tone, "Nothing!" Huntress said not a word and only waited   
with an unyielding expression. After a while, Hunter hang   
his head in defeat. "I just don't like you hanging around   
that snobby prince."  
  
"Endymion?!" Huntress cried out in surprise and disbelief.   
"Your upset because of Endymion?"  
  
"Even his name is snobbish . . .," he muttered.  
  
"He isn't that bad."  
  
"So now you're defending him?"  
  
"He's a friend, Hunter," she explained quietly. "I'd do   
the same thing to you." Hunter frowned at this and kept   
silent. "So now who's pouting?" Huntress asked playfully,   
remembering the day they first met. "Why are you being so   
stubborn?"  
  
"You gave him a Moon Gloria."  
  
"So?"  
  
"You gave him a Moon Gloria," he repeated.  
  
Huntress stared at him then something dawned on her.   
"You're jealous!!"  
  
"I am not!" Hunter protested, his face feeling unusually   
warm.  
  
"Yes you are! Look at yourself! You're blushing!" she   
laughed.  
  
He watched her laughing her head off, his frown becoming   
deeper. "Okay, okay, that's enough. You've had your fun,"   
he announced, this time with a smile of his own.  
  
Huntress stopped reluctantly and asked, trying to maintain   
a serious face, "Are you finished acting foolish?"  
  
"I still don't like that snob," he said grumpily.  
  
"Don't say that. You don't even know him."  
  
"I have good judgment," he declared in a superior tone.   
Huntress raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Well I do!"   
he insisted.  
  
She sighed. "It's getting dark. I better return before   
Mother start asking questions."  
  
"Yeah . . . My own mother is starting to get suspicious."  
  
"We need to be more careful," Huntress decided. "Well,   
same place, same time?"  
  
"You bet." He watched her leave then suddenly blurted out,   
"Stay away from that snob!" Huntress looked back and erupted   
once again in excessive laughter. "And I'm not jealous!!!"   
She only laughed even more.  
  
END BOOK 2  
  
  
Sigh. This took me a while to finish. I had a mild case   
of writer's block. I'm thinking of having a mini book   
centering around the Moon Gloria Legend. I'm not sure, yet.   
Oh, yeah! If you noticed the similarity in name with the   
morning glory, I'd like you to know that I didn't notice that   
myself until my brother mentioned it. I made the Moon Gloria   
up. It just popped into my head without any help from other   
REAL flowers, k?  
  
Any comments you have, even flames, (yes, I decided to accept   
those. They can actually help me make my stories better)   
e-mail me.  
  
Look out for Book 3: Betrayals of the Past. 


	3. Betrayals of the Past

Hi everybody. Well, it's finally finished. Sorry you had to wait so   
long. But here it is, waiting to be read. One thing you need to know   
is that I sort of twisted something. I can't tell you what exactly   
because it would ruin the story. Anyways, this is rated PG for drama   
and death. I added in some comedy. I don't know if it was successful,   
though. I think you've waited too long already so here's Book 3   
without further ado. Enjoy!!!  
  
BETRAYALS OF THE PAST   
By: Moonbunny83  
6/29/01 - 1/04/02  
E-mail: moonbunny83@hotmail.com  
Sailor Moon created by:   
Naoko Takeuchi  
New characters and the Moon Gloria belong to me.  
  
  
BOOK 3  
  
THE SILVER MILLENNIUM - ON THE MOON  
  
Sixteen-year-old Serenity stood on the balcony of her chambers,   
gazing at the spherical, blue planet thousands of miles away.   
"Earth . . .," she sighed. "It looks so breathtakingly   
beautiful. If only Mother would allow me to pay a visit so I   
can see Endymion once again after six long years." She let out   
a breath of distress as she heard laughter and chattering from   
down below. "Another ball," Serenity whispered in disgust.   
"Don't they get sick of it? One gathering is the same as the   
other. As Hunter would say, 'Boring and filled with royal   
snobs.'" She removed her attention from the frivolous people and   
continued under her breath. "All they do is gossip to their hearts'   
content, eat until their seams burst open, dance until their feet fall   
off -- those are supposed to be fun? It's a relief that I was able to   
escape that prison of boredom."  
  
"Talking to yourself again, Your Highness?" a voice asked   
suddenly out of nowhere.   
  
"What?!" Serenity gasped in surprise. "Who?- Hunter," she   
croaked. "I thought you were someone else."  
  
"A certain high and mighty bald-spotted feline, perhaps?" Hunter   
asked, his eyes crinkling with amusement.  
  
"You got me. Speaking of whom, have you seen-"  
  
"No," he interrupted as he strode towards her. He looked down   
from the balcony and inquired in a scolding tone, "Shouldn't you   
be down there, Huntress? Mingling with the boring, royal snobs?"  
  
"I suppose I should be," she responded in a bored tone.  
  
"You suppose?" Hunter snorted. "Aren't you the hostess?"  
  
"Um . . . I don't think so . . .," Huntress answered slowly,   
hesitance obvious in her behavior as she started fidgeting with   
her silk, elbow-high gloves. "I mean . . . Mother . . . Well,   
she didn't say anything . . ."  
  
"You don't think so?" Hunter chuckled this time. He glanced at   
her for a brief moment and kept on, "You haven't changed a bit."  
  
Huntress frowned good-naturedly. "What are you saying?"  
  
He grinned at her. "Nothing. Nothing at all." That   
nonchalant comment earned him a real frown from the Princess.   
He only widened his grin in response. After a few seconds,   
the two friends became silent as they stared at the darkened,   
glittering cosmos that surrounded an infinite number of galaxies   
with its endless splendor. Huntress sighed, deep in thought.   
Hearing this, Hunter asked, "What are you thinking?"   
  
"I miss him," she answered wistfully.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Endymion."   
  
An almost sinister look glinted in Hunter's eyes. "Why do you   
miss him for?" he asked in a gruff manner.  
  
Huntress, surprised at his odd behavior, responded carefully.   
"Why, you asked? Because he's my friend." She raised an   
eyebrow and added, "As well as he is yours."  
  
Hunter appeared baffled at that announcement. He had never   
referred to the Earth Prince as his 'friend.' It would appear   
that the Princess is completely oblivious about his feelings   
for Endymion, or rather, lack thereof. With his musings over   
and done with, he returned his attention to Huntress.   
"Huntress?" he asked with patience.  
  
Huntress blinked those wide, cerulean orbs of hers and replied   
with much innocence, "Yes, Hunter?"  
  
"I have never liked that Earth snob."  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she protested, "That's ridiculous!" She   
took a deep breath and continued reprimanding her friend,   
"I can still remember the day you saved his life as if it   
happened only yesterday."  
  
"I would rather not talk about that."  
  
"And why not? You saved his life. You should be proud of   
yourself," Huntress stated, puzzlement clear on her expression.  
  
"Saving Endymion's life was not my primary concern during that   
time . . ." he muttered to himself.   
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing," he quickly answered, Huntress' voice fading out as   
his thoughts traveled back in the ocean of time six years   
before, when he thought of spying on her and the infamous Earth   
Prince.  
  
FLASHBACK   
  
ON THE MOON, SERENITY'S GARDENS, SIX YEARS AGO  
  
"STOP!!!" ten-year-old Serenity shrieked, her once pretty gown   
now sodden, spreading limply and heavily around her tiny body.   
"I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!!!!"   
  
Endymion ignored her indignation and continued his mischief.   
With armor-clad legs apart, his hands knuckled on his waist,   
his long dark cloak dancing with the wind, he glanced down at   
the pool of water that surrounded the enraged Princess of the   
Moon. He chuckled deep in his throat and complained, "But you   
said you were hot. I only thought to do you a favor by pushing   
you into the lake. Don't you feel much refreshed?"   
  
"The only thing I'm feeling is your brainless head underneath   
my hands drowning you with all my might!!!!" she growled.  
  
Finally incapable of keeping his laughter bottled in and out of   
earshot, he clutched his midsection and roared endlessly much   
to the annoyance of Serenity. With surprising strength, she   
heaved herself and her heavy dress out of the cold water. She   
slowly advanced toward the unsuspecting Prince with a single   
purpose in mind. The task wasn't as easy as she thought it would  
be. Her clothing dragged her down and that only angered her   
even more. With ferocity as her main source of power, she strode   
up to the still hysterical Endymion and shoved him into the lake.   
Her face brightened triumphantly as she observed the sputtering   
cries coming out of the mischievous, young man. Her victory   
ended too quickly, however when she noticed the armored body   
submerging deep in the lake at an amazingly fast rate.   
Serenity, her face now filled with horror, contemplated her   
hasty retaliation. She kept on watching, her cold feet rooted   
on the grassy floor, even as she heard a weak cry of help coming   
from her ill-fated friend. She watched as the cruel waters   
covered his mouth from such action. She watched and watched and   
watched. What was a ten-year-old to do? Cry. And she did so   
in anguish, her thoughts filled with her friend's dreadful fate.   
  
BEHIND A NEARBY BUSH  
  
"Hn," Hunter grunted in approval as he observed the splash   
caused by the heavy armor worn by the Prince. He was pleased   
to see Huntress avenge herself with such ferociousness. He   
almost made his hiding place known when he saw the snob push   
Huntress into the pool of water. But he knew she could take   
care of herself. He glanced once again at the now huffing   
Prince of Earth. Hunter smirked to himself. He was right.  
  
His joy was short-lived, however, when he took notice of   
Huntress' apparent distress. He couldn't stand seeing her   
cry and decided to reveal himself at last.  
  
ALONGSIDE THE LAKE  
  
"What's the matter with you?" he asked casually.   
  
Huntress looked up and saw a friendly face through rivers of   
tears. "Hunter!" she sobbed, throwing herself into his arms.   
Hunter patted her back awkwardly and waited for her weeping to   
end.  
  
UNDER THE LAKE  
  
Endymion held his breath as he tried to unravel his stubborn   
cloak from around his legs. His lungs were burning from lack   
of fresh air. His armor did not help the matter. It was   
weighing him down while his cloak had him trapped. 'This is   
absurd. No way am I going to die, drowned in this lake.   
A shallow lake at that,' he mused furiously. 'I have to survive   
this. I can't die like this. Not without honor. Not without   
telling her how I have grown to -,' His thoughts ended there   
as he finally took one last precious breath.  
  
NEXT TO THE LAKE  
  
Huntress hiccupped as she attempted to explain the matters at   
hand to Hunter. "Endymion . . . "  
  
"What about the Earth snob?" he inquired, pretending to have   
no knowledge of the dire situation whatsoever.  
  
Huntress clasped his sleeves desperately as she managed to   
shout, "Endymion is drowning! You have to help him." She   
released her hold and sobbed. She added in a whisper, "Please   
help him." Hunter stared down at her upturned face, soaked   
in tears. He sighed and nodded reluctantly.  
  
'I am doing this for Huntress. I am not saving the snob's   
life . . .,' he thought silently as he dove under the   
shimmering lake. "I can't believe I'm actually doing this.'   
He swam beneath the waters and began his search. It only   
took about a minute for him to find a dark mop of hair swaying   
in rhythm with the small waves. Hunter kicked his legs to stir   
himself forward. He took in the sight before him and realized   
what had prevented the Prince to save his own skin. The monarch's   
legs were completely enveloped with the cloak and his armor offered   
no assistance at all. After snorting in disbelief at the Prince's   
foolishness, Hunter hooked both of his arms underneath Endymion's   
armpits and propelled himself and his heavy baggage toward the surface.   
  
Upon reaching the destination, Hunter swallowed loud gulps of   
air and hauled Prince Endymion next to an overly anxious   
princess. Huntress sighed in relief and kneeled directly beside   
the drenched young man. She searched for a pulse at the base   
of his throat. What her fingertips found was a faint pounding,   
very slow in rhythm.   
  
"He's alive," her voice cracked with the discovery. "Hunter,   
do something," she pleaded, staring up at him. Hunter grinned   
and pushed Endymion's body forward to the point that he looked   
like he was seated down. He grinned wider still as he gave the   
unconscious Prince an extremely solid and firm pound on the back.   
Huntress gasped in shock. "Hunter! You're only doing more damage   
to him!" she protested. As soon as the words were out of her mouth,   
Endymion started heaving water out of his system.   
  
"Doing more damage, you said?" Hunter inquired. "If only that   
were true . . .," he quietly added, observing Huntress launch   
herself in Endymion's arms.  
  
"Endy!!" Serenity exclaimed. "You're alive!!"  
  
"Not for long if you don't stop squeezing the breath out of me!!"   
Endymion gasped. He was freed at once and thankfully started   
breathing at a normal pace.  
  
"I am so sorry," Serenity apologized in a quiet tone.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For almost killing you!" she sobbed.  
  
"Ah . . . Don't cry, Sere. I forgive you. Don't worry yourself   
about it." He gave her a soothing embrace. "After all, I did   
have it coming," he laughed. He gently set her aside and   
continued, "By the way, how in the world were you able to pull   
me out of that lake?"  
  
"Oh! It wasn't me! My friend, Hunter saved you!" She looked   
around her garden and found themselves alone. "He's gone . . .,"   
she whispered sadly.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
SOMEWHERE DEEP IN A DUNGEON  
  
"You will bring the Moon Princess to me!" a deep snarling voice   
demanded.  
  
"I will, my liege," a different voice humbly answered, less   
fierce than its master. "I have a plan -- a plan that will no   
doubt make her succumb to my powers."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yes, master. Just give me time-"  
  
"Time!! There is no time! I must have the Queen's successor   
to the crystal. I must have her. If you value your life,   
you will make sure I have her before the upcoming ball."   
The master gave its underling a hard look that stipulates no   
disobedience.  
  
"With all due respect, master . . . Which upcoming ball do you   
refer to?" The minion asked almost eagerly. Upon seeing its   
superior's frown, an explanation hastily followed. "I mean since   
those moon people always have a ball every week and all . . ."   
The frown turned into a nasty scowl. "I will soon bring the   
Princess to you, master." After bowing with respect, the lackey   
promptly left the pungent, sickening odor of the cell in which   
its master was imprisoned.  
  
"You had better, my son. You had better." A deafening, silence   
soon followed as the confined creature opened its mouth in   
laughter, but with no sound coming out.  
  
JUST OUTSIDE THE PALACE GROUNDS  
  
A strange, young man looked intently at his outstretched palm.   
Resting within its folds was a ring encrusted with genuine   
pearls upon a golden band. He closed his hand with determination   
and clutched it against his chest. 'Soon,' he thought. 'Very soon.'   
With that in mind, he closed his eyes almost in regret and left the   
palace without a backward glance.  
  
At the same time, a fragile object slowly fell from his other   
hand, unnoticed. It glided with the breeze until it touched the   
cold, hard ground. Unknowingly, the man crushed the object with   
the heel of his boot. A sob could almost be heard from afar as   
the Moon Gloria was left alone, its spirit crushed, its beauty   
destroyed, and lost -- forgotten, with the memories of childhood   
and friendships shattered.  
  
INSIDE THE PALACE TRAINING GROUNDS   
  
A flash of golden streak flew across the palace training grounds   
as a certain moon princess slammed hard against a wall. Her four   
protectors rushed towards the fallen girl anxiously with no delay.   
The dark-haired one gasped as she clutched Serenity's arm gently.   
"Your Highness!" she cried. "Are you all right?"  
  
The princess only groaned. "Mars, I'm fine." She stood up   
wobbling and shook off all help from the four. She clutched   
her head between both hands and closed her eyes in obvious pain.  
  
"Are you sure, Princess?" blue-haired Mercury asked, doubtful.  
  
Serenity sighed and with one opened eye, grinned shakily at   
her friends. "I'm sure."  
  
Fair-haired Venus frowned and snapped, "Then why are you moaning   
and groaning about your head like that?"  
  
Still grinning, she whispered, "I may have hit my head just a   
bit against the wall."  
  
Mars turned angrily towards the tallest of them all, the   
brown-haired Jupiter. "Did you have to blast her that hard?"   
  
Jupiter, standing a few feet away, answered with regret.   
"It wasn't intentional. Besides, I really thought she saw it coming."  
  
"I'm sure she did see it coming. Only problem is that her mind   
was elsewhere at the time." Mercury raised an eyebrow   
questioningly at Serenity. The Princess blushed and looked away,   
her aching head long forgotten.  
  
"I knew it!" Venus exclaimed. She looked at the embarrassed   
Serenity in the eye and whispered, "It's Endymion isn't it?"   
She laughed as the Princess shook her head in denial. "Ha! It is   
him!" The Princess' face turned into an even brighter red as   
Venus kept on ranting with delight. "You cannot lie to me, Serenity!   
I am an expert in the matters of the heart. After all, I AM Venus,   
the Sailor of Love!!"  
  
"So you keep reminding us," Mars muttered under her breath.  
  
Mercury asked the Princess, "Is this true?"  
  
Serenity gulped nervously and stuttered. "I-I, um, I don't   
know."  
  
Venus unrelentingly demanded, "Do you love him?"  
  
All four protectors stared at the Princess expectantly. Nobody   
said a word as they waited for the answer. Finally, a faint   
'I don't know' was heard.  
  
Mars sighed and said quietly, "You do, don't you?"  
  
"I really don't know. I haven't seen him in years so how am   
I to know?"   
  
Venus quoted wistfully, "As they say, 'abscess makes the heart   
grow bigger.'" Everybody stared at her incredulously. "What?"   
she asked, confused.  
  
Jupiter snorted. "That's 'ABSENCE makes the heart grow FONDER.'"  
  
"That's what I said!"  
  
"No. You said that boils, swellings, eruptions, blisters,   
carbuncles, and pustules -- to list a few -- make the heart   
grow bigger," Mercury argued.  
  
"Boiling cars and swelling bunks and what?" Venus asked with wide,   
bewildered eyes.  
  
"Which, if you looked at it in a twisted and distorted way,"   
Mars stated calmly, her lips twitching in amusement, "is true."  
  
"Disgusting!!" Serenity exclaimed. "All of you are in the   
presence of a princess and you ought not speak so revoltingly!!"  
  
"Hate to break the news to you, Your Royal Highness," Mars   
began, "but we too are princesses of our respected planets."  
  
Serenity retorted back, "Well, you happen to be on MY planet   
and therefore you should show some respect!"  
  
"Another news I hate to break to you, Princess, but the Moon is   
not a planet. It is merely that . . . a moon." Mars smirked.  
  
Jupiter grabbed the Moon Princess just in time to prevent an   
all-out war. "That's enough, the both of you. Mars, quit baiting   
the Princess and Your Highness, save your energy for training."  
  
Serenity took a deep breath and replied, "Very well. I challenge   
you, Fire Princess, to a one-on-one match."  
  
"Oh, great!" Mercury shouted at no one. "The two of you haven't   
changed a bit!"   
  
Mars smiled. "Challenge accepted. This should be easy, with   
you enamored with Endymion."  
  
"I'll make you eat your words," Serenity growled.  
  
Jupiter threw up her hands exasperatingly. "It's hopeless!"   
With that said, she left the training grounds in disgust.  
  
"I am not getting in the middle of this childish game you two   
so love to play at every whim," Mercury announced and followed Jupiter   
out.   
  
Venus glanced at Mars and Serenity apologetically and quickly   
caught up to Mercury. "I still don't understand what boiling   
cars and swelling bunks are!" she cried. Mercury sighed and   
patiently explained to Venus the meaning of the CORRECT quote.   
Venus protested, "But don't hearts swell when you're in love?"   
As the two leave the training grounds behind, Mercury's yell of   
annoyance could be heard.  
  
"I GIVE UP!!!"   
  
SERENITY'S GARDENS  
  
Hunter paced impatiently, frowning all the while. 'Where is   
she?' he thought aggravatingly. He stopped without warning   
and stared at his tightly clenched fist. He could feel the   
ring inside his palm, embedding itself slowly. He opened his   
hand and gasped at the undeniable beauty of the pearls. Hunter   
stared, only stared at the future in which his palm clings to   
with much ferocity -- a future that could very well begin his   
life or end it. He gripped the ring with all his might and tried   
to block everything around him. 'Am I doing the right thing?   
Is this the only way to ensure Huntress' future and mine? What   
if there is better way? What if-'  
  
"I am so sorry!" Huntress, running, blurted out, interrupting   
Hunter's thoughts. She halted in front of him, gasping for breath.  
  
Hunter smiled at her antics and grasped her shoulders gently.   
"Take a deep breath, will you?" he scolded.  
  
Huntress released a deep sigh and continued. "Sorry. The scouts   
and I were training and lost track of time."  
  
"Training, huh?" he sneered. "You mean those good-for-nothing   
scouts are actually good for something?"  
  
"Hunter! Stop it. Why do you hate them so?"  
  
Seeing Huntress in distress did nothing to improve his mood.   
"I don't exactly hate them, as you put it," Hunter explained.   
"We merely just don't get along."  
  
Huntress frowned. "But you don't even know them."  
  
"That's irrelevant. You know what that word means now, right?"  
  
"Of course," she snapped. "Don't change the subject."  
  
"Was I?" Hunter blinked innocently.  
  
She ignored him and resumed the topic at hand. "Have you even   
met them?"  
  
"No, but that, of course, is-"  
  
"Irrelevant," she interrupted. "I know, but that's a sorry   
excuse to dislike them."  
  
"Look. I don't want to talk about them anymore, okay?" Hunter   
stated. "I didn't meet you here to discuss those losers."   
Seeing her about to protest, he held up a hand and said, "I   
know they're your friends, but as far as I can see, they don't   
act like one."  
  
"What do you mean?" she demanded.  
  
"Never mind. Let's talk about something else."  
  
Huntress narrowed her eyes. "If you think we're finished with   
this subject, you're dead wrong."  
  
"Look at what they've done to you already. You're like a bomb   
ready to explode."  
  
"I'm prepared to explode if it means defending my friends from   
the likes of you!" Huntress retorted. Hunter's face paled with   
disbelief and her eyes widened as she realized what she had said.   
"Hunter, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to imply-"  
  
"I know. Just forget it," he whispered and looked away.  
  
Huntress grabbed his arm in a desperate attempt to make him   
understand. "Hunter . . ."  
  
Hunter faced her. "Don't worry about it. After all, I did   
have it coming."  
  
"No, you didn't!"  
  
"Huntress! Let's just forget this conversation ever happened."  
  
She released his arm reluctantly. "Are you sure?"  
  
"I'm sure." He looked at his closed fist and knew without a doubt   
that his time was running out. 'Not yet, not yet . . .'  
  
Nothing more was said after that. The two friends stood side by   
side quietly, neither saying a word, neither willing to forget   
what has just occurred despite what has been agreed -- neither   
willing to accept that their bond has been severed. Neither of   
them was willing to acknowledge the fact that their friendship   
is forever lost -- along with the Moon Gloria, with no hope of   
ever returning home.  
  
SOMEWHERE DEEP IN A DUNGEON  
  
"Everything is going according to plan," a hoarse voice muttered   
in triumph. "Broken friendships, lost hope -- the crystal is  
mine!!" The monster heckled and cackled hysterically. "And you,   
my son, will retrieve it for me . . .," he declared to no one,   
the black pools of his eyes glittering with menace.  
  
SERENITY'S CHAMBERS  
  
Luna sat in silence, reflecting the day's events. The Princess   
didn't know it, but she has been following her around, watching   
her and listening whenever she is in Hunter's company. Luna   
licked her paws and remembered the argument the two friends had.   
Something was up. She could feel it in her bones. 'That boy is   
hiding something. I just know it,' she thought to herself. 'I   
have to find out. I won't be able to rest until I do. Maybe I   
could . . .' Her mind made up, Luna scurried to the door as fast   
as her four feline legs could carry her and left the palace   
grounds against her better judgment.  
  
OUTSIDE THE PALACE GROUNDS  
  
Hunter stared at the darken sky and asked the stars above if he   
was doing the right thing. The ring, still clutched in his hand,   
started to glow immensely. 'Master is calling me,' he mused.   
'I must heed his command.'  
  
The silver-haired boy turned around and headed back towards the   
palace with determined steps. He knew it was time. The Master's   
plan is about to be unfolded. The crystal will become his.   
'And Huntress will be mine.'  
  
NOT VERY FAR AWAY  
  
'What is that boy up to?' Luna pondered. She watched as Hunter   
walked inside the palace gates. 'Where does he think he's going?   
The way he walks, one would think he belongs in the palace.   
He acts as if he has the right to mingle with his superiors.'   
Luna ran after Hunter at a safe distance. She followed him to   
a dead end and watched as he pulled a branch and patiently waited.   
Not a minute later, the vine-covered wall opened with a groan to   
reveal a hidden tunnel.   
  
'What in the world?' Luna gasped in surprise. Her eyes widen   
even farther as Hunter entered the dim hallway and the secret   
entry starts to close. She quickly entered the passageway just   
before it shut behind her with a soft bang.   
  
Darkness swiftly enfolded her as soon as she was inside. Luna   
begins to tremble the instant the bitter draft starts to seep   
into her bones.  
  
'Something is amiss,' she shivered. 'Where am I? It somehow   
feels sinister down here. What in the world is going on?'   
Realizing that Hunter is too far a distance away from her, Luna   
dashed at a fast pace to catch up.   
  
Suddenly, flashes of lights blinded Luna and she was forced to   
halt her progress. 'What on earth-' She blinked a few times   
to become adjusted to the now lighted surroundings. With her   
eyes finally accustomed, she was able to discover her whereabouts.   
  
"The underground palace dungeons?" she asked aloud under her   
breath slowly. "How in the world did he find this place?   
Nobody knows of this except for a few trusted advisors and   
the Queen herself." Luna resumed her steps forward, cautiously   
this time, musing all the while. "However did he find the   
secret tunnel? Even I didn't know of any secret entrances."   
She once became aware of the cells around her -- of the revolting   
stench in the air -- of Hunter unhurriedly opening the largest cell   
of them all. 'I've asked myself this before and I'll ask it again.   
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON?! Just who is that boy, really?'  
  
INSIDE THE CELL  
  
"Master?" Hunter whispered. "Are you here, my liege?" He   
advanced inside the prison cell and stepped on something foul. "Ugh!"  
  
"Where else would I be, fool?!" a deep voice snarled. "Out by   
the pool sunbathing?!"  
  
Hunter flushed in contrition. "My deepest apologies sire."   
He tried to get rid of the muck, but to no avail.   
  
The Master ignored him and continued growling. "What took you so   
long?"  
  
He tried kicking it off, but it still hung on. "I got here as   
fast as I could, sire," Hunter explained, obviously distracted.  
  
"Not fast enough! Anyways, as I was saying-"  
  
The muck was hanging only by a thread now. "As you were saying,   
sire?" Hunter asked in confusion, still concentrating at the task   
at hand. "But you weren't saying anything."  
  
"SILENCE!!" Hunter, noticeably stunned, at once dropped his   
muck-covered shoe onto the sticky ground, undoing all his progress   
in the process. "I WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH DISRESPECT!"  
  
"My deepest apologies sire!" Hunter apologized yet again. He   
grimaced at his shoe and once more tried to remove the slime,   
kicking furiously this time.  
  
"Whatever are you doing, boy?!"  
  
"Nothing, sire," he muttered.  
  
Hunter kicked and kicked -- and unexpectedly, it worked. The   
muck finally released its slimy hold and flew across the cell.   
His eyes followed it, only to stop at the Master's furious face.  
  
"You little-," he sputtered in disbelief. Hunter watched in   
horror as the Master struggled to remove the slime off his face.   
His attempts only made it worse and soon, the muck covered not only   
his visage, but his hands and neck as well.  
  
"My deepest apologies sire!" Hunter immediately cried out.  
  
"I GROW TIRED OF YOUR APOLOGIES!!"  
  
"My deepest apol-"  
  
"ENOUGH!!" the Master interrupted impatiently. Regaining his   
composure back, he resumed his tirade. "It is quickly becoming   
apparent that you are not suitable for this task."  
  
"But, my liege! I am suitable! I'm the perfect man for the   
job!" Hunter protested.  
  
"You have yet to prove yourself, my dear boy and you are a far   
cry of being a man."  
  
Hunter moved closer to the Master and desperately pleaded with   
him. "Sire, my plan is fool-proof. Once I've made Huntress my   
wife, we have only to rid of pesky obstacles and the crystal's ours."  
  
"Ours?" the Master raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I mean yours, sire," Hunter hastily corrected himself.  
  
The Master stared at him quietly, contemplating whether or not   
Hunter should be given a second chance. "All you have been doing   
is spying on your precious Princess."  
  
"So I could determine the best way possible to execute my plan,   
my liege."  
  
A heavy sigh was released and Hunter's fate was decided. "I   
suppose you should be given a chance to unfurl your plan."  
  
"You have my gratitude, sire."  
  
"Indeed." The Master glared at Hunter as if regretting his   
actions already. "You are dismissed." Hunter bowed with   
respect to his liege and turned around to leave. "You have only   
until the upcoming ball!" The Master added.  
  
"Yes, sire!" With that, Hunter closed the cell and locked it   
behind him, once again traipsing towards the darken secret halls.  
  
LUNA'S VIEW  
  
Ugh. What is that stench? It reeks down here.   
  
I warily followed that boy, stopping just outside the cell and   
intently listened. What is that boy doing? Is that what I think   
it is? On his shoe? Hn. Serves him right.  
  
Wait a minute. Who was that? That boy isn't alone in there.   
I can hear another voice. Whoever or whatever is in there with   
him sure sounds like a hungry wolf ready to leap for its dinner.   
  
'SILENCE!!'  
  
Meow? What in the world?   
  
'My deepest apologies, sire!'  
  
Is that-? On his face? Oh! This is just too sweet!! I could   
feel cavities building up inside my mouth. I swear if this   
weren't serious, I'd be laughing hysterically, mayhap even maniacally.   
Ho boy!   
  
'My deepest apologies, sire!'  
  
How many times could a person apologize for something? Geez!  
  
'ENOUGH!'  
  
I'm on your side, oh mysterious one!  
  
'Sire, my plan is fool-proof . . .'   
  
Plan?! What plan is he talking about?  
  
' . . . Huntress my wife . . . Crystal ours.'  
  
WHAT?! That boy plans to marry the Princess? And the crystal-!   
They're after the crystal?! I knew that boy couldn't be trusted.   
I kept telling Serenity, but no. She wouldn't listen.   
  
' . . . only until the upcoming ball!'  
  
The upcoming ball? I don't have much time. I must inform the   
Queen right away!!  
  
I left the dungeons with haste, running in the same direction I   
came in. I stumbled once, twice, but I kept on going. I have one   
purpose in mind and nothing could detain me. Nothing! But-   
  
I am about to break a promise made to a little girl. What choices   
have I? A choice between trust and life. Without trust, there is   
no life and without life, there is no trust. I am doomed either   
way. I must think about the people of the Moon -- what is best for   
the people.   
  
Princess, please forgive me!  
  
THE NEXT DAY -- INSIDE PRINCESS SERENITY'S CHAMBERS  
  
"Princess, your mother the Queen has requested your presence in   
the throne room," Myra informed Serenity.   
  
"She has?" Serenity asked with mild surprise. Her mother has   
never 'requested' her presence anywhere. It sounds like a summons   
to her. Something must be wrong. Something must be troubling   
the Queen. Whatever it is, it must be serious. This does not   
bode well. Not at all.  
  
"Yes, Princess. Right away."  
  
"Thank you, Myra. You may leave now." The chambermaid curtsied   
and left.  
  
ROYAL THRONE ROOM  
  
Luna paced back and forth nervously next to a furious Queen   
Serenity. 'Maybe I should have kept their friendships to myself.   
Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the Princess' involvement.   
Maybe . . . Oh, what's the use? It's too late to do anything now.'   
  
A soft knock sounded like a cannon inside the eerily quiet room.   
Queen Serenity glared a warning at Luna and commanded her daughter   
to come in.  
  
"You summoned me, Mother?" inquired the Princess upon setting   
foot inside.  
  
The Queen, in a no-nonsense tone, went straight to the point.   
"You are hereby forbidden to enter your gardens! You are hereby   
forbidden to socialize with that rapscallion! You are hereby forbidden   
to leave the palace grounds unsupervised! You are hereby stripped off   
of your gardens! You are hereby stripped off of your friendship with   
that scoundrel!"  
  
"Mother!" Serenity gasped.  
  
"AND YOU ARE HEREBY STRIPPED OFF OF YOUR FREEDOM! PERIOD!"  
  
"Mother, you can't-!"  
  
The Queen only narrowed her eyes. "Oh, but I can. I am your   
mother." She looked at her daughter grimly. "Have I made myself   
clear?"  
  
Tears started streaming down Serenity's face as she turned her   
head from her mother to Luna. "But, why?" she sobbed uncontrollably.   
"Luna, you promised! It was my birthday present," she finished in   
a hoarse whisper. The Queen only stared at her, unmoved by her tears.   
Serenity gave her a last pleading look, but it was ignored. With a   
whimper, she ran out of the room without a backward glance.  
  
Queen Serenity's shoulders sagged in distress as she watched her   
daughter flee. Controlled tears glazed her eyes and she shook her   
head sadly. "Was I too hard on her, Luna? Have I lost her? Have   
I lost my only daughter?"  
  
'You and me both, Your Majesty. You and me both.'  
  
THE DAY BEFORE THE BALL -- A WEEK LATER  
  
"Your Highness, shouldn't you be preparing for the ball?"  
  
"Leave me alone, Myra," a muffled voice ordered under the heavy   
blankets.  
  
"But, Princess-"  
  
"I'm not going to the ball. Now go away!"   
  
Myra sighed in defeat. "With all due respect, Princess, but you   
have been in your chambers for an entire week! You have to get   
out sooner or later. It might as well be today."  
  
Serenity impatiently threw the covers off and stood up in front   
of her chambermaid. "You seem to have forgotten that my freedom   
has been taken away, Myra." With that, she started pushing her   
towards the door. "I appreciate your concern, but it is misplaced.   
I am fine. I don't want to go out of my chambers and I don't want   
to GO TO THE BALL!" she finished with a shout and locked the door   
after pushing Myra out successfully. She slid down to the floor   
with her back against the door and cried quietly.  
  
PLANET EARTH  
  
Terra, Queen of Earth, sighed in defeat. "It is imminent, then?"  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty," Garrick, captain of the guards, answered.   
"There is an estimation of one day until she descends, although   
as to the exact time, we have yet to guess."  
  
"I have heard that there is to be a ball tomorrow night on   
the Moon."  
  
"Your sources are proven correct, my Queen. Do you believe   
that," Garrick paused then resumed, "she would dare appear   
at the same time as the ball?"  
  
Terra frowned. "I wouldn't put it past her. She has always been   
fond of theatrics and being the center of attention." She paced   
back and forth and turned to Garrick in fear. "Underestimate her,   
we must not, for surely she has grown much stronger since last."  
  
Garrick snorted. "Aye. I am willing to bet that her greed most   
assuredly has."  
  
"Serenity must be warned," the Queen announced in a grave tone.   
"Time is of the essence, Garrick and we must act now."  
  
The captain bowed in agreement. "I will send a legion of troops  
at once, Your Majesty."  
  
"No!" Terra objected.  
  
Garrick looked at her, baffled. "But, my Queen-"  
  
"Pardon me for my outburst, Garrick," she interrupted, her mind   
at work. "But we must not send thousands of foot soldiers and   
cavalry on the Moon. It would only cause panic among the people   
and that would be an advantage to her side." Terra stood in   
silence, contemplating the best possible way to warn Serenity.  
  
"What other way is there, Your Majesty?" Garrick inquired.  
  
Her musings over, Terra gave her full attention to the captain   
and ordered, "Summon my son, Endymion immediately."  
  
Garrick, understanding the Queen's decision, smiled in relief.   
"As you wish, my Queen."  
  
ELSEWHERE ON PLANET EARTH  
  
"I miss her, Helios." Endymion confessed to his friend, the   
priest.  
  
"Then do something about it, Prince." Helios gave Endymion a   
pound on the back and continued. "Spare us of your moping and   
tell her how you feel before it's too late."  
  
The Earth Prince scowled and protested, "I do not mope! And what   
do you mean before it's too late?"  
  
"Did I say before it's too late?" Helios looked at him with   
feigned innocence. "Surely I did not!"  
  
"Helios, I'm warning you . . ."  
  
"Your Highness!" A gasping Garrick blurted out. "Forgive   
my interruptions, my Prince, but the Queen has summoned you."  
  
"Mother?"  
  
"Yes, sire." Garrick took a deep breath. "It is of much   
importance."  
  
Endymion nodded and turned to Helios. "We are not finished with   
this discussion, my friend." With a last glance at Helios,   
Endymion left with Garrick to heed the Queen's summons.  
  
Watching his friend leaving, Helios shook his head sadly and said   
to himself, "I am afraid it will be centuries before we see each   
other again, Prince Endymion."  
  
ON THE MOON -- SERENITY'S CHAMBERS (THE NIGHT BEFORE THE BALL)  
  
Myra, persistent as always, gave it another try. "Is there   
nothing I can say or do to change your mind, Princess?"  
  
Serenity gave the chambermaid a quick hug and whispered, "I am   
afraid not, Myra."  
  
"It really saddens me to see you like this, Your Highness."  
  
"I will be fine," Serenity assured her with a smile. With a   
gentle push, she said, "Now go and prepare for the ball."  
  
"Your Highness-"  
  
"That was an order and I will not tolerate disobedience,"   
Serenity announced good-naturedly.  
  
"Yes, Princess."   
  
After Myra's departure, Serenity went to bed and tried shutting   
everything and everybody out of her mind.  
  
LATER THAT NIGHT  
  
"Huntress!" Hunter yelled in hushed tones.  
  
"Hmmm . . ." Huntress yawned. "Go away, Myra!" she muttered.  
  
Desperate, Hunter started shaking her vigorously. "Wake up,   
will you?"  
  
"What do you want?" she whined. She slowly opened one eye and   
gasped. "You're not Myra!"  
  
"No, really?" he snapped sarcastically.  
  
"Hunter!" Huntress pulled her covers up to her chin in   
embarrassment, now fully awake. "What are you doing in my   
room? You must leave right now! Mother-"  
  
"I don't care about your mother," he declared, cutting her short.   
Huntress' eyes widened in surprise at the change in him. "Look,   
I need to talk to you. Right now."  
  
"What's happened to you?" Huntress croaked.  
  
Hunter's eyes twitched. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You're different somehow . . ."  
  
He heaved a sigh impatiently. "I'm sorry I snapped at you like   
that but I don't have much time."  
  
"Not much time for what?" Huntress asked, still bewildered.  
  
Ignoring her, Hunter went on. "I've missed you, Huntress."  
  
"I've missed you, too," she replied uncertainly.  
  
Hunter smiled and looked at her in the eye. "This past week   
has been torture, Huntress. Not seeing you everyday has opened my   
eyes."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I love you!" he blurted out.  
  
"You do?" she stammered.  
  
"Much more than I thought possible," he declared. Hunter   
held out his palm and the pearls glittered in the moonlight.   
"Will you marry me, Huntress? Will you make me the happiest   
man alive?" He held his breath whilst he waits for an answer.  
  
"This is too sudden . . ." Huntress began. "I don't know what   
to say."  
  
"Don't you love me?!"  
  
"I do!" she answered quickly, too quickly.  
  
Hunter narrowed his eyes and growled, "Then what's the problem?"  
  
"I don't think I'm ready."  
  
"Not ready?! We've known each other practically all our lives!   
I've seen you with a red nose for goodness sake!"  
  
Huntress shrugged. "I need time."  
  
"We don't have time."   
  
Huntress looked away and glimpsed at the window that leads out   
to the balcony. 'What was that? I could have sworn I saw   
somebody . . .'  
  
"Huntress, look at me!" Hunter caught her chin in his palm and   
forced her head to face him. "Look at me, Huntress. Look into   
my eyes," he whispered gruffly. His green eyes started to glow   
an eerie red and Huntress soon fell in a trance. Hunter smirked   
triumphantly and continued. "Say you love me, Huntress."  
  
In a monotone voice, she complied. "I love you."  
  
"Say yes, you will marry me, Huntress."  
  
"Yes, I will marry you."  
  
Hunter smiled and chuckled. "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"   
He slipped the band onto her left ring finger and leaned in to   
kiss her. The moment his lips touched hers, her nightclothes   
changed into a white flowing gown with sheer, long sleeves that   
shimmered at the slightest movement. At the same instance, both   
disappeared into the night without so much of a trace except for   
an imprint on the bed where the Princess' body had once lain.  
  
OUT IN THE BALCONY  
  
"This is so boring!" Venus complained.  
  
"Shh! You're going to wake her up," Mars shushed. "We're   
supposed to watch out for Serenity."  
  
"Spy on her you mean," Jupiter butted in.  
  
"Orders of her Majesty, the Queen." Mercury yawned and   
watched the slumbering Moon Princess.  
  
"But she hasn't left her room for an entire week!"  
  
"Venus! Quit whining, will you?"  
  
"Get off my back, Mars!" she growled.  
  
Mercury, ever the mediator, said in a casual tone, "Think of it   
this way, Venus. At least we know where she is at all times."  
  
"This is so wrong," Jupiter announced. "We shouldn't be spying   
on her like this. She's our friend."  
  
Mars argued reluctantly, "We're her protectors. Our duties come   
first." She looked at the three and explained, "Words of the Queen."  
  
"We're dead when she finds out," Venus sighed.  
  
"IF she finds out."  
  
"She's not as blonde as she looks, Mars." Jupiter stated. "She   
will find out sooner or later."  
  
"Hey! I resent that!" Venus yelled.  
  
Mercury, finally fed up, shushed her fellow scouts and looked   
through the window pointedly. "Something's up."  
  
Mars, now alerted, joined Mercury. "What do you mean?"  
  
"There's somebody in there with the Princess."  
  
"WHAT?!" Venus screeched. She received three dirty looks and   
she apologized sheepishly.  
  
"Who in the world is that? And how did he get in without us   
knowing?" Jupiter asked Mars, peeking through the window.  
  
"Nobody that we know of obviously."   
  
"Let me through," Venus demanded while trying to squeeze in   
with the others. "I probably know him."  
  
Mercury moved a little to the left to give Venus some space.   
"Do you know anybody with silver hair?"  
  
"Um, let me think . . . No?" Venus wedged herself in and asked,   
"Can you see his face?"  
  
"No," Mercury answered. "The only thing visible to us is his   
hair. Everything else is shadow."  
  
"Darn! I wanted to see if he was a hunk."  
  
"Venus!" Mars scolded.  
  
"What? Can you blame me?"  
  
"Um, girls?"  
  
"Yea, Jupiter?"   
  
"It just dawned on me . . ."  
  
"Go on," Mercury encouraged.  
  
"We're right in front of the window and the moon is shining   
behind us."  
  
"So?" Venus asked.  
  
Jupiter rolled her eyes. "We're not concealed! We might as well   
announce our presence!"  
  
Mercury's eyes widened and she cleared her throat. "Um, I think   
Serenity is staring right at us."  
  
"What?!" Mars gasped.  
  
"Hide!" all four called out in panic.  
  
"Do you think she saw us?" Venus inquired meekly.  
  
"Most likely," Mars muttered.  
  
Mercury peeked in cautiously once more and what she saw made her   
gasped out loud.   
  
"What's wrong?" Jupiter demanded, stealing a look as well.   
"Well, I'd be . . . He's proposed to her! And she's accepted!"  
  
"WHAT?!" both Mars and Venus exclaimed.  
  
"And they've both disappeared," Mercury finished for Jupiter.  
  
"This is bad. Really bad," Jupiter mumbled.  
  
"I'd say we've just failed our mission!" Venus cried out.  
  
"What do we do now?"  
  
"What we do now, Mars, is inform the Queen."  
  
"Oh, yeah, Mercury! That's easier said than done!"  
  
"She'll have our heads!" Venus blubbered.  
  
"Let's go!" Mercury ordered in a straightforward tone.  
  
"She'll have our heads, I tell you!"  
  
EARLY THE NEXT DAY (THE DAY OF THE BALL) -- IN SERENITY'S CHAMBERS  
  
"I've been waiting for you, daughter," Queen Serenity announced   
gravely. Her usual gentle face was a thing of the past. The   
Queen's face was haggard from lack of sleep, from endless worry,   
from masked anger, from profound regrets.  
  
"Mother?" Serenity turned around in horror. Her memory of last   
night was limited. All she could remember was Hunter's proposal,   
her saying yes for some unexplainable reason, her wedding taking   
place in the middle of nowhere, and now . . . She was back in her   
room with her mother glaring at her for reasons she could not   
understand. "What is going on? Why are you in my room? And Luna   
and the Scouts?"  
  
"Hold her down," the Queen commanded the Scouts. Mars and Jupiter   
marched forward and grasped Serenity's arms from either side with   
strong grips that allowed no resistance.   
  
"Mars, Jupiter, what are you doing? Let me go right this   
minute!!" Serenity struggled and only caused the hold on her to   
tighten almost to the point of pain.  
  
"Stop squirming. You're only hurting yourself, Your Highness,"   
Jupiter said gruffly.  
  
"Please forgive us, Princess," Mars whispered.  
  
"Mother!" Serenity gave the Queen a beseeching look that was   
disregarded without a second thought. She fell down in anguish   
onto the floor, bringing Mars and Jupiter with her.  
  
Luna, tears glazing her eyes, pleaded with the Queen. "Your   
Majesty, there must be some other way! I cannot possibly-   
I will never forgive myself!"  
  
Queen Serenity closed her eyes and looked away. "There is no   
other choice. To ensure that nothing like this happens again,   
it must be done!"  
  
"But, Queen Serenity-"  
  
"That was an order, Luna!" the Queen interjected. "Her   
memories of that boy must be erased at once."  
  
"Your Majesty-," Luna tried once more. All she received was an   
impenetrable glare that stipulates no disobedience. The cat   
hung her head in defeat and sobbed. "As you wish, my Queen."  
  
"Mercury, Venus! Assist Luna!"  
  
"Mother, please no . . ." the Princess begged. "Luna . . .   
Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Mars- if you ever were my friends,   
you wouldn't do this!"  
  
The Scouts, in hardened voices, declared simultaneously,   
"Our duties come first."  
  
"Luna Mind Meld!" Luna cried out. The crescent moon bald spot   
on her head shone brightly, blinding all occupants of the chamber.   
In accord with the light, Serenity's forehead glowed intensely,   
revealing a crescent moon of her own.  
  
"Please forgive us, Princess," Mercury pleaded desperately.  
  
Serenity answered her viciously. "Never!"  
  
The light vanished instantly and only a whispered promise could   
be heard at a distance . . . "Never!"  
  
ROYAL THRONE ROOM  
  
Beran, the captain of the guards on the Moon, slowly entered the   
royal throne room. "You sent for me, Your Majesty?"  
  
"Yes, Beran." Queen Serenity answered. "Come forward." She   
turned to Luna and asked, "The boy's name is Hunter?" Luna nodded   
indifferently. Facing Beran once more, she commanded in a firm   
tone, "Seek out the silver-haired boy named Hunter. Scour the   
entire kingdom if you must. And bring the chambermaid Myra to me."  
  
Beran bowed and replied. "Right away my Queen."  
  
Upon the captain's departure, the Queen questioned Luna. "So   
you say Myra is the boy's mother?"  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty."   
  
"You realize what you must do, do you not?"  
  
"I am to remove the chambermaid's memories of her son."  
  
"It must be done, Luna."  
  
Luna whispered sadly. "I know, Your Majesty. I know."  
  
A knock reverberated in the room and the Queen demanded in a   
loud voice, "Enter." A young woman came in cautiously, her eyes   
avoiding those of the Queen's. "Are you the one called Myra?"  
  
Myra curtsied and responded softly. "That I am, my Queen."  
  
"How fares my daughter?"  
  
"Asleep, my Queen."  
  
Nodding in satisfaction, Queen Serenity looked at Luna sharply   
and ordered Myra to come closer. "Now, Luna."  
  
"What is going on-?"  
  
"Luna Mind Meld!!" A familiar beam encompassed the royal throne   
room and vanished in an instant, once more stealing precious   
memories in an attempt to change the past.  
  
LATER THAT NIGHT   
  
Endymion proceeded to the double doors that lead to the royal   
throne room.   
  
"Halt! Who goes there?" Beran barked.  
  
"It is I, Endymion, Prince of Earth, requesting a presence with   
the Queen."  
  
Beran squinted up at him suspiciously. "Have you proof of   
identification, Prince of Earth?" At this insolent request,   
Endymion brandished out a blood red rose from within the folds   
of his black tuxedo, still covered with thorns.  
  
"Would this suffice, Captain?"  
  
Disconcerted, Beran grumbled a response. "Aye, Your Highness.   
I beg your forgiveness for treating you as such."  
  
"No harm done, old man. You were only doing your job.   
Remarkably well, I might add."  
  
Beran flushed at the compliment. "You are far too gracious,   
sire. If Your Highness permits an advice?"  
  
"Continue," Endymion nodded his consent.  
  
"There is a hunted man out loose by the name of Hunter. The   
only known fact concerning his appearance is long, silver hair.   
He is considered to be dangerous. It will be wise to avoid him   
at all cost."  
  
'Hunter? That name sounds strangely familiar.' he thought   
silently. Seeing that Beran was expecting some sort of answer,   
Endymion quickly nodded. "Advice heeded."  
  
Beran sighed in relief and opened the doors for the Prince.   
"Entry granted, sire." Endymion nodded his thanks and marched   
inside to speak to Queen Serenity of serious matters.  
  
INSIDE THE ROYAL THRONE ROOM  
  
"Forgive my intrusion, Your Majesty, but I come with dire news."  
  
"Endymion, your presence is never an intrusion," Queen Serenity   
argued. "Come and have a seat and explain what you mean of   
dire news."  
  
After settling down next to Serenity, the Prince hastily   
clarified his words. "I take it you have heard of Beryl?"  
  
"Beryl?" the Queen blinked in surprise. "Do you speak of that   
sweet child I once met on planet Earth?"  
  
Endymion grunted. "That's her. Only she has grown into a   
menacing witch." Seeing Serenity's frown, he continued.   
"Growing up, she was ever fond of sorcery. She fancied herself   
in love with me and once tried to make me succumb to her powers.   
Realizing that she could not be controlled, Mother had her   
contained. Unbeknownst to us, Beryl conjured up a monster by the   
name of Metallia. She turned out to be weaker than her creation   
and ended up under Metallia's spell. With the help of Metallia,   
she is now a capable sorceress determined to steal the crystal from   
you and destroy the Moon Kingdom in the process."  
  
Serenity stared at him in shock. "What do you know of Metallia?"  
  
"Nothing except for the fact that she is Beryl's creation. How   
she came to be stronger than Beryl herself is unknown to us."  
  
"It always comes to the crystal." Serenity shook her head.   
She pondered for a few minutes and looked at Endymion in panic.   
"When?!"  
  
"Tonight."  
  
"Tonight?"  
  
"During the ball, Mother believes. I regret to inform you   
at the last minute, but we only found out ourselves about   
this early this morning."  
  
The Queen stood up abruptly. "We must alarm the guards.   
I don't need this right now. With what happened recently . . .   
The Princess! My daughter!"  
  
"I'll look out for her, Your Majesty. You needn't fret."  
  
"Thank you. Now I must tell Beran . . . If you will excuse   
me, Endymion." The Queen left the throne room, anxiety marring   
her face, in search of Beran. Endymion soon followed after with  
a single purpose in mind -- Princess Serenity.  
  
THE BALL  
  
"I can't do this. I just can't."  
  
"Whatever are you muttering about now, Venus?" Mars scowled.   
  
"I can't do this!" she screeched. "I can't act like nothing has   
changed when in fact everything has!"  
  
"Venus, you need to calm down!" Jupiter hollered back.   
"Everybody's staring at us!"  
  
"She's right, you know?" Mercury asked softly.  
  
Mars nodded in agreement. "Yeah . . . But what choice did   
we have?"  
  
"It was for her own good."  
  
"We were trying to protect her."  
  
"Then why do we feel so crummy?" Mercury demanded.  
  
Mars replied sarcastically, "Maybe because she promised to   
NEVER forgive us?"  
  
"But that was before the Mind Meld," Venus reasoned. "Since   
that had something to do with Hunter, then she wouldn't remember   
about any promises made, right?"  
  
"Was that supposed to make me feel better?"  
  
"What was suppose to make you feel better, Mars?"  
  
Mars made a complete turn and paled. "Your Highness!"  
  
"Is there something the matter?" Princess Serenity raised an   
eyebrow. "You appear as if you've seen a ghost."  
  
Mars stuttered. "Uh . . . Gh- ghost?"  
  
Jupiter intervened in an attempt to rescue her fellow scout.   
"She has a headache, you see?"  
  
Mercury, understanding what Jupiter was up to, quickly added,   
"Yes, that is correct. And I have suggested a long hot bath."  
  
"A very long hot bath," Venus piped in, not to be left out.  
  
"Of course, not a VERY very long hot bath," Jupiter corrected.   
"You wouldn't want to get all wrinkly like a bunch of prunes."  
  
Venus nodded in agreement enthusiastically. "Not at all. It   
wouldn't be appropriate to look all dried up in front of the   
gentlemen. I'd rather have a splitting headache than appear like   
some senile, old lady."  
  
"No indeed," Mercury finished.  
  
Serenity only stared from one eager face to another in disbelief.   
Her gaze stopped at Mars and the Moon Princess raised an eyebrow.   
Jupiter nudged the still-frozen Fire Princess to get her attention.   
Shaking her head clear, Mars responded in a croak. "I don't like   
prunes."  
  
Upon hearing a sound that suspiciously seemed like a snort   
coming from Venus, Serenity shook her head incredulously and declared,   
"I will not ask. I'll talk to the four of you later when your brains   
are not so dried up." The Moon Princess swiftly left the Scouts'   
company in seek of a better conversation.  
  
Venus sagged next to Mercury. "That was close."  
  
"Uh, huh." Jupiter joined the other two. "You know, Mars,   
you could have helped us back there instead of standing still like   
some Chinese terracotta statue."  
  
Mars only looked at her silently and announced in a firm voice   
this time, "I don't like old ladies, either."  
  
ELSEWHERE . . .  
  
'Boring . . . This ball is way too boring!' Serenity complained   
to herself. She started up the stairs to escape all the noise when all   
of a sudden, a warm hand stilled her progress. Serenity looked down   
to see a white glove covering hers. Looking up, she found herself   
staring at the most mesmerizing green eyes she had ever seen. She   
could sense herself being pulled into the deep pools, almost as if   
she was falling into an abyss with no way out. Serenity felt like   
she was being drawn into a dream, or rather, into a nightmare. But   
that doesn't make sense. 'What is happening to me?'  
  
"May I have this dance, Princess?" a deep voice requested.  
  
Speechless, all Serenity could do was nod once and she was   
pulled into the throng of dancers in the middle of the room. Two   
arms enveloped her in a warm embrace and she had never felt such   
security in her entire life. Strangely, though, it didn't feel right   
to her. It felt fake. 'What is going on here? Who is this man?'   
"Who are you?" she asked, voicing her thoughts.  
  
"Shh," the man hushed. "Who I am is of no importance."  
  
"But-"   
  
The man loosened the embrace and looked at her in the eyes.   
"Come with me."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Out in your gardens."  
  
"My gardens? How did you know about my gardens?"  
  
"Just come with me." The mysterious man gave her hand a tug   
and she had no choice but to follow him quietly for he really did   
have the most mesmerizing eyes she had ever seen.  
  
SOMEWHERE NEARBY  
  
"Where is she?" Endymion muttered under his breath. "Sere,   
where on earth are you?" The Prince of Earth impatiently wove his way   
through the mass of bodies on the dance floor looking for the missing   
Princess. Without warning, a flash of golden tresses blinded his   
line of sight. There, only several feet away from him was Princess   
Serenity dancing with a man with silver hair. "Silver hair?" he mused.   
"Wait a minute, didn't Beran say something about a man-" Realizing that   
Serenity was dancing with none other than the hunted man, Hunter,   
Endymion quickly rushed over to the unsuspecting partners when he was   
suddenly blocked. "What the-" He looked down to find an old couple   
squinting up at him.  
  
"Young man," the old lady practically screeched. "You would be   
better off if you would look at where you are going."  
  
Endymion blinked down at his adversary. "I do beg your pardon,   
madam. Now if you don't mind-" He tried to wedge past the pair   
but once again found himself held back.  
  
"But I do mind," the lady protested. She wrapped both arms   
around Endymion and announced loudly, "As compensation for your   
lack of manners, you shall dance this waltz with me."  
  
"Madam!" Endymion objected. He tried to pry open the arms   
around him, but they were like metal.   
  
"It would do you good to listen to her, pup," the old man   
suggested in a nasal tone. "Never takes no for an answer, she does."  
  
Endymion caught a glimpse of that same golden locks and they   
were headed for outside. His concern for Serenity's safety gave   
him the strength and the audacity to unwrap the old lady's arms   
from him and to lift her off the floor, setting her out of the   
way. His path finally unhindered, he took off without another word.  
  
"Well!" the old lady sniffed. "Young men these days! They lack   
manners and respect for their elders." She gave her husband a long   
look and ordered, "Dance with me, old man!"  
  
"I'd be happy to oblige, old woman."   
  
SERENITY'S GARDENS  
  
"Come, Huntress."  
  
"What did you call me?" Serenity gave him a bewildered look.  
  
Hunter's face hardened and he spat out, "They really did erase   
your memories, didn't they?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Ignoring her, Hunter once again pulled Serenity along with him   
and continued. "But no matter. That could be easily remedied."  
  
"What is going on? Who are you?" the Princess demanded.   
Hunter's grasp tightened and Serenity gasped out in pain.   
"Let me go! You're hurting me!"  
  
"I believe I just heard the Princess asked you to let her go."  
  
"Who's there?" Hunter tensed and pushed Serenity behind him.  
  
Endymion stepped out into the light and revealed himself.   
"Endy!" Serenity cried out in relief.  
  
"Ah . . . The great Endymion, Prince of Earth," Hunter growled.   
"Finally, we meet face to face."  
  
Endymion faltered in surprise. "You know me?"  
  
"More than I care to wish." He turned his attention back to   
Serenity who was cowering in fear behind him. "I'm not good   
enough, am I? I'm not a prince like him. I am merely the son   
of a chambermaid." He laughed bitterly. "Oh, wait! I'm not   
the son of anybody. Even dear old Mother can't remember me."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
"You will soon enough, Huntress. That, I vow -- ugh!" Hunter   
looked down and found a blood red rose piercing his heart. He   
staggered his stance and watched in astonishment as Endymion   
grabbed Serenity away from him.  
  
Endymion shot him a fierce glare and said in a grim voice, "You   
are finished here, Hunter. You better leave before I alarm the   
guards."  
  
"Go ahead, for all I care. I'm not afraid of anything or   
anybody."  
  
"Then you're a fool."   
  
More would have been said if it weren't for an ear-splitting   
shriek coming from the inside of the palace. Endymion,   
remembering Beryl's expected arrival, didn't waste another second   
as he scooped up Serenity in his arms and ran out of the gardens   
in haste.  
  
Hunter, about to follow behind, suddenly heard a voice in his   
head. 'Stay right where you are, fool. It is not our time,   
yet.'  
  
"What do you mean, my liege? Don't you wish for the crystal   
anymore?" Hunter pulled the rose out of his chest and grimaced as   
his precious blood flowed.  
  
'Of course I wish for the crystal you idiot! Now is not the   
time.'  
  
Stomping the rose with the heel of his boot, he asked, "What   
is going on, sire?"  
  
'A sorceress by the name of Beryl has descended to wreak havoc   
amongst the inhabitants of the Moon kingdom. It would seem she   
is after the crystal as well.'  
  
"If that is true, Master, shouldn't we fight her for it?"  
  
'No, because she will not be given a chance to even touch the   
crystal.'  
  
"What do we do now, Master?"  
  
'We'll bide our time.'  
  
"But, Master-"  
  
'Patience, my son. Our time has yet to come.'  
  
INSIDE THE PALACE  
  
Pandemonium swept over like currents of waves as guests   
tripped over themselves in an attempt to escape Beryl's invisible   
wrath. The four Sailor Scouts assisted people out one by one,   
looking for the source of their panic. Evil surrounded the entire   
palace and yet, the cause was nowhere to be found. Queen Serenity   
clutched the crystal to her chest while she surveyed the destruction   
of Beryl's arrival. Darkness seeped in, shattering all means of light,   
preparing the Moon kingdom for the coming of its Queen. Beran, captain   
of the guards, was organizing legions of troops though he knew in his   
heart that hope was lost. This time. But he also knew that this would   
happen again someday. How he knew, he doesn't know. All he was sure of   
is when that time comes; a new hope will be born, along with power even   
greater than that of his Queen.   
  
JUST OUTSIDE THE PALACE KEEP  
  
Endymion and Serenity grasped each other's arms, staring at the   
ominous clouds rolling just above the palace. The clouds separated   
to finally reveal the entity within their folds. Beryl, with a   
menacing hold of her stare, lifted every being inside the palace   
and tossed them over her shoulders, obliterating them into nothing   
but dust.  
  
"Endymion?" she called out in a shriek. "Where are you, my   
love? I know you are here! You had better show yourself if you care   
at all for these Moon people!" Beryl ended with a flick of her wrist,  
once again blasting the kingdom into pieces.  
  
The Prince of Earth hid himself and Serenity, holding her away   
from him. "You understand what I must do now?" Tears flowed down   
the Princess' face, unchecked as she reluctantly gave a nod. Tilting   
her head up towards him, Endymion leaned in for a final kiss.   
"I love you, my Moon Princess. Never forget that," he whispered   
against her mouth. Releasing her, memorizing her features for the   
last time, he turned away to leave.  
  
Serenity grabbed his arm desperately. "Wait!" Endymion faced   
her yet again and found the Princess holding out an object to him.   
She sniffed and shakily gave up her precious treasure as proof of   
their love. "I wish for you to have this." She covered his hand   
with hers and the locket opened of its own accord, releasing a   
beautiful melody filled with promises.  
  
Endymion smiled at her and kissed her hands reverently. "I'll   
keep it next to my heart for all eternity," he vowed. He suited   
words with actions as he slipped the golden chain over and   
around his neck, the locket resting right next to his heart.   
Serenity clung on to him with all her might and Endymion had   
no choice but to pull away lest Beryl finds them.  
  
Serenity seized nothing but air, finding herself alone in the   
dark. Watching Endymion flee farther and farther away from her,   
she murmured to herself, "I love you, too, my Earth Prince. We'll   
be together again. You'll see. That's my solemn vow."  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
"Beryl!" Endymion roared at the top of his lungs.   
  
The witch turned around to face the enraged Prince and laughed   
in delight. "Endymion! I knew you'd see it my way!"  
  
"What do you want, witch?"  
  
"Tsk tsk, Endymion," she scolded. "Is that any way to greet   
your betrothed?"  
  
"For the last time, we are not betrothed!"  
  
"Oh, but we are! I'm making it so."  
  
"You are deranged," Endymion spat out in disgust. "Tell me   
what you want!"  
  
"I thought it was rather obvious, Prince. All I am here for   
is the crystal," she stated in a bored tone. "And of course, the   
death of the Queen and the Princess," she hastily added.  
  
"Over my dead body."  
  
"That could easily be arranged. After all, you are not that   
vital to my plans."  
  
"Leave now before I am forced to kill you."  
  
"Kill me," Beryl gasped. "Oh, my. I am shivering in my heels."   
She gave him a smirk and continued. "What do you plan to kill me with,   
Prince Endymion?" She glanced at the jeweled hilt sheathed at his   
waist. "With your little wooden sword? I think not." Beryl stared at   
him thoughtfully and questioned, "What are thinking about, Your   
Highness? Or is it a who?" She grinned evilly and breathed out,   
"Is it a certain   
Moon Princess?"  
  
"Leave her out of this," Endymion snarled.  
  
"Silly me," she went on, ignoring Endymion thoroughly. "I   
meant to say a certain FORMER Moon Princess. And her she is now. Or   
rather, what's left of her." Her power brought forth a transparent   
bubble with an unconscious Serenity trapped inside.  
  
"No! You'll pay for this, witch!" Endymion lunged at Beryl   
uncontrollably, his sword raised.  
  
"Well, now. Kill or be killed," Beryl mused. She raised a   
bony finger and pointed it at the frenzied Prince. A surge   
of energy was freed and struck Endymion with a full force.   
Beryl sighed. "Tough choice."   
  
"You will not escape here alive." A firm voice announced   
somewhere not far away.  
  
"The all-powerful Queen Serenity." Beryl cackled.  
  
"You will pay for the suffering you have caused."  
  
"Look around you, Your Majesty. Your so-called invincible   
kingdom has been exposed bare. Your beautiful daughter and   
her beloved prince are under an eternal sleep. Your hopes for a   
bright future have been crumpled by the darkness of the past. You   
will soon join everything and everybody that was dear to you.   
The only thing that is protecting you is that crystal, which, by   
the way, will soon be mine."  
  
"You will never get your hands on the crystal!"   
  
"Want to test that little theory of yours?"  
  
Queen Serenity advanced towards Beryl at a slow pace with a   
single objective in mind. She blocked the evil that surrounded   
Beryl and strongly declared, "You may have destroyed the palace,   
but you have yet to lay a hand on the hopes and dreams of the people."  
  
"What people?!" Beryl screeched. "There is nobody around but   
you and me, Serenity! You are delirious!"  
  
"Don't you hear them, Beryl?" the Queen asked soothingly.  
  
Beryl shivered as she surveyed the destruction that rested about   
her. "Hear who?! Where?!" she demanded.  
  
"They're everywhere, Beryl," Serenity assured her. "Surely   
you can see them, hear them," she paused then resumed in a whisper,   
"feel them?"  
  
"You are mad!" Beryl laughed hysterically. "And they call me   
insane!"  
  
Serenity halted in front of Beryl and said calmly, "You have   
only to open your eyes, Beryl. You have only to open your heart."  
  
"Get away from me, witch!!"  
  
"Let go, Beryl. Fight Metallia."  
  
"I told you to get away!" Beryl started to retreat in a   
quickened pace.  
  
"They're calling you, Beryl. The people are talking to you.   
Can you not hear them?" Queen Serenity opened her hands to   
reveal the crystal. It glowed softly, warmly, of the people's   
hopes and dreams. "Listen for them, Beryl."  
  
"No! Just give me the crystal and I'll let you live."  
  
Serenity narrowed her eyes. "No evil can ever touch the   
crystal." The Queen paused and looked at Beryl beseechingly.   
"They're giving you a second chance, Beryl."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The people of the Moon. The people everywhere."  
  
"I don't want it."  
  
"Take it, Beryl. It's your last chance."  
  
"No!"   
  
"Defeat Metallia and live again."  
  
"No!" Beryl faltered and glanced behind her. She kept on   
withdrawing, trying to escape Serenity's plea, trying to escape the   
voices of the people, that she didn't see where she was going. One   
more step backwards and Beryl would have been lost, for just behind   
her is a crevice big enough to send her to her death -- an abyss surely   
to swallow her whole -- a void that was created by her own greed.  
  
"Beryl-"  
  
"Never!" With that outburst, the crystal released an aura that   
held the people's hopes and dreams, finally sending Beryl to her   
demise.   
  
"You should have taken the chance." Serenity shook her head   
sadly and for the first time, examined the damages and the deaths   
caused by greed.  
  
"Your Majesty?"  
  
"Luna," the Queen said softly. "It is a relief to see you are   
still alive."  
  
"But is it worth it, my Queen?" The black cat curled herself   
at Serenity's feet.  
  
"Yes." Seeing Luna's confusion, Serenity explained. "When one   
hope dies, another is born -- much more stronger than the last;   
strong enough to overcome any obstacles, strong enough to build   
everlasting dreams."  
  
"Meow?"  
  
"Oh, Luna," Serenity chuckled without humor. "Don't you   
understand?" Luna shook her head and the Queen serenely smiled.   
"Then close your eyes, my friend. Many many years from now, you   
will understand."   
  
Queen Serenity, with the help of the crystal, planted seeds   
of hopes within the lost people of the Moon kingdom. Seeds that,   
in the future, will surely flourish with life.  
  
END BOOK 3  
  
  
There. It's finally done. All 30 pages of it.   
I'm quite proud of myself. :P  
Well, e-mails are most certainly welcome. Hope you liked it.   
Look out for Book 4: Secrets of the Past. Unfortunately, don't   
expect it anytime soon. My winter break is over and it's   
school again.  
  
*^_^* moonbunny83 


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